Identities
by Neoalfa
Summary: Au STD - Drakken plan is successful and Kim Possible doesn't believe Ron when he shows up at the Prom. Team Possible is broken. Who will save the world?  Time for a Sidekick to step up - Ron S. /?/? - Alive Arc Over -
1. Alone

**Chapter 1 – Alone (edited 06.24.11)**

* * *

That hurt.

Damn that really hurt.

Yet I keep running. I've got a job to do, and the sky be damned I will see it done.

I'm not really cut for this stuff, y' know? Not at all. I used to have a reason to put myself in this kind of sitches, albeit unwillingly, but anymore? Why then? What do I have to fight for?

Nothing, that's why.

When you've got nothing left you've got nothing to lose. Simple as that.

So I keep running. Under the rain. Alone.

I can see it now. In front of me stands the lair of evilness and corruption.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The shrine of all that was good and pure, now reduced to a mockery of its former glory. Twisted and polluted by the goals of a madman. It's an heart-wreaking sight.

It doesn't matter. It ends tonight. I will see to it.

They don't expect me. They never would. They would expect her, but not me.

I don't matter. I'm a nobody.

That's why I can do it. That's why I have a chance. I'm always underestimated, always overlooked. I will slip right under their noses and hit them hard and fast. It's perfect. It's foolproof.

Slipping past the security grid is a joke. I've did this so many times in the past that it's almost boring. Always the air ducts. Do this guys ever learn?

The path is downward. This road will probably take me all the way to the basement. If I'm lucky it won't be too much populated if at all. Getting inside is easy enough, getting out will be another matter altogether but I will cross that bridge when I'll get to it.

Finally I've reached my destination. I remove the last grid in front of me, placing it inside the duct before taking a peek in the room below me. Bingo. An underground storage room. Nobody's around.

I drop myself to the ground without a noise. Perfect. Sensei would be so proud.

"Hello sidekick." I freeze on the spot at the sound of the familiar voice. Damn. I turn around and Shego is standing right there with her hands of her hips, grinning like that cat that ate the canary.

Foolproof, indeed. What an idiot.

What was I thinking? Did I really believe I could pull this out? Me? The ultimate loser? Oh, please.

"Where's Princess?"

Not here and you know it, bitch. No need to gloat about it.

"Oh, right. She's with her Prince at the ball."

Right. Twist that knife into the wound a little more, will ya?

"You came alone? Not even the naked rodent?"

Nope. The rodent has another duty tonight.

"You've got balls, I'll give you that.

Gee, thanks. I'm flattered.

"So… how are we going to do this? Will you come quietly and watch our victory from the sidelines or are you going to struggle until I kick your ass and drag you away tied up? Honestly I would prefer if you put up some resistance. It's been pretty boring around here lately, y' know?"

I answer her by shifting lower, almost crouching on the ground. My fist raised in front of me in a fighting stance. It's a odd position for a battle but it just feels so natural to me.

Her eyes widen a little in surprise. She didn't expect that. Why would she?

She would expect me to whine, to cry, to beg and to run, but never to fight. I can hardly blame her. Not even I can remember when was the last time I fought. Did I even ever fought before? The image of a certain park and a red headed girl crying flashes through my mind for a moment, before I shake it off. This is not about _her_.

Surprise turns to amusement in the eye of the green skinned villainess. Her mouth quirks up in a smile that's close to a grin.

"You want play? For real? You really are out of you mind."

My answer is yet again silence. I haven't uttered a word since I've got here. That's not like me at all. I'm the one with a joke always ready on his lips. The one who can't take any situation seriously.

Right. Not like me at all. I don't cry, I don't whine, I don't run. I stand my ground ready to fight.

She looks in my eyes and she finally see. She sees that she was right.

I've lost it. I'm crazy. Utterly bonkers. I wouldn't be here otherwise.

As she stares into my madness I look at hers. There is something familiar there. Something I know well enough. My closest companion. Fear.

She's so far that she doesn't even realize that, but it's definitely there. I've seen it once already. She witnessed my madness already once already in the past. Oh, it was induced, all right. And it was different.

I couldn't keep my mouth shut back then, and that makes this even scarier. There is no joke in this madness.

The Buffoon is gone.

I can see her swallow. Hard. Her eyes lose the look of amusement. I don't think she even realizes that she just assumed a defensive stance. I can't help but notice just how tight that green jumpsuit wraps around her curves. I run appreciatively the tip of my tongue on my lips. I'm definitely insane.

Whatever she saw in my eyes as I did that is enough to send shivers down her spine. I can almost smell /smell?/ her fear now.

Our stares meet again. A small grin splits up my face. She master her fear. The fighter in her ignites along with the familiar glow of her hands.

I tap into my newfound madness a little more. My grin widen. Any doubt, any fear, any phobia is wiped away by this new, yet old, feeling of expectation.

I'm a child again. I'm a child in an amusement park without grownups and no height or age restriction for the rides around me.

No mistakes. It's gonna be an hell of a ride and somebody in bound to get hurt. Badly.

One split second of tension between us. It's coming. We both can tell.

She speaks with a tremble in her voice.

"Stoppable?"

Ooh? Wouldn't you like that?

That impossible grin plastered on my face it's all the answer she could ever need.

I'm back.

Her voice now is but a whisper.

"Zorpox."

I leap at her.

Boo-Yah.

* * *

Author Note

Essentially unchanged after rewriting it. A few minor mistakes have been corrected.

Original author notes:

Author Notes: Ta-da! Chapter one is here.

A little short? Perhaps. But it's quality over quantity in my book.

Review would be truly appreciated. At least to know if what I've written makes sense.

Chapter 2 will follow soon.

Bye.


	2. Hide

Chapter 2 - Hide & Seek

She's skilled. But I knew that already.  
She's avoiding or deflecting any blow I throw at her.  
Not a surprise on my part.  
She's the one surprised. I'm going at her with everything I've got. And I'm not talking about fighting skill.  
Those are crap. Did you somwhat belive that just because I went over the fence I have unlocked amazing skills and powers?  
Get real. I've got some ninjutsu training and and I supposely have some kind of mystical power. Mystical Monkey Power.  
Monkeys.  
I shudder a little in my mind. Of all the creature whose power I could have been infused with it had to be the monkeys.  
But I'm disgressing.  
Back on topic, here I am fightin' toe to toe against a plasma powered psyco-bitch with years of fighting experience on her shoulder.  
My edge? I'm currently more insane than her, something she isn't used to.  
So I'm going at her with that impossible smile that no person in their right mind would have in this situation.  
Scratch that. No person in their right mind would have that kind of smile EVER.  
This is the kind of smile you would find on the Joker while he's hanging Batman by his bowel.  
We trade blows. I can't hit her. Bright side: in her confused state of mind she doesn't manage to hit me as well.

This isn't going anywhere though. I've to come up with a plan. Think-think-think.  
Ding! Got it!  
Psychological Warfare. My madness is my weapon. Let's make use of it.  
Let's dig in her fear. The job is half done already.  
I kick her stomach but she blocks me with her arm. As expected. I use the strenght of my kick to push myself back in a sommersault behind some crate and outside of her sight. While in midair I strike the only light in the room.  
My action is rewarded with a shower of sparks and suddend darkness.  
The only light in the room is now provided by Shego plasma powered hands and what litte that filter from under the door behind her.  
Possible escape route noted. Onward with the plan.

"Booyah-ahahaha! Sheee-go!" My voice is filled with amusement and somethig else. Something she doesn't like.  
I swear that I can hear her jump on the spot at the sound of my voice.  
"What are you playing at Stoppable?" her voice is shaky already. Bingo.  
"Tsk, tsk, Shego. That is no way to refer to me. Do I have to teach you a lesson in respect again?"  
A plasma burst blast a crate not too far from me. Keep moving sounds like a very good idea right now.  
"Come out, Bufoon."  
"Awww Shego. You are no fun. What's a litte game of hide and seek among friends?" My voice is DRIPPING amusement now.  
"This is no game Stoppable." Another plasma blast this time much farther than before. Good. She's losing track of me.  
"And we are not friends either!" Another blast. I'm almost behind her now.  
"Buuut Sheee-go! After all that has been between us..." My whiny tone is so childish that is creepy given the current situation. I can just FEEL the goosebump on her skin at that.  
"There is nothing between us Stoppable. Except for me kicking your ass on a regular basis."  
She.. is right on that, but let's not play easy shall we? I'm behind her now but her senses are too sharp for me to take her by surprise even in this situation.  
I need a distraction. And who am I? I'm the king of distractions.  
I have to be subtle at it though. Time to come up with something smart.  
As silently as possible I unroll the cable of my grapple gun.  
A grapple gun made from an hair dryer. That's the kind of shit you have to work with when your team leader is a cheerleader and you tech guru is barely in his teen. Wade and I should have a talk about what's cool and what's not.  
In a matter of seconds I've made a nice knot around the handle before slipping away again.  
"Come now Buffon! There is no way out. You don't stand a chance against me. Surrender and I promise I won't hurt you." She pauses at that. "All right, I will probably beat you up a little but I won't be too rough ok?"  
For a moment that proposal sound reasonable. But then I remember that I'm shit crazy right now. No room for reasonable thank-you-very-much.

"Oh Shego. You really are a joke, aren't you? And you are calling me a bufoon? The great Zorpox not standing a chance against you? Please."  
I'm back to my starting position. Shego is exactly between me and the door.  
"It is you who doesn't stand a chance Shego. I'm afraid that I really need to give you that lesson in respect hmmm? After all..."  
With a sudden pull of the rope the door on the other side of the room spings open, the light on the other side invading the darkness. The door wasn't even fully opened when Shego plasma burst sailed trough it slamming on the stairs behind. The lack of a Jewish fried ass where her burst hit leave her surprised for half a second before her mind kicks into high gear and she realize what just happened.  
Half a second is enough for a lot of stuff. In this case is more than enough to close the gap between us in one smooth jump. After all I jumped in the very same moment I've pulled the rope.  
Shego is turning toward me again. The bitch is sharp. She knows I'm coming. It's too late.  
For her that is.  
The plant of my foot meet her face with a sickening CRUNCH.  
Let me tell you this: when you spend your time dodging bullies, henchmen, MONKEYS, various death devices and, more than everything, cheerleader practice, your legs becomes REALLY strong.  
I'm nowhere in the same league as Shego enanched strenght but I can pack a nasty kick when I put myself to it. Belive me, Shego's nose can vouch for me.  
The impact with my foot send her sprawling backward. The sound of her head hitting the ground tells me that she won't be able to stand properly in the forseeable future.  
I'm on my feet. She is not. Can I have a Booyah?

I walk toward her like I don't have a care in the world. I realize now that The Grin didn't leave my face from the very beninnig.  
My face is starting to get sore.  
I kneel on her. Oh joy. The look on her face. That fear.  
This feeling of power is overwhelming.  
You know what's fun? She was right all along. I did not stand a chance against her.  
I've played her. I've played with her fear.  
But she doesn't know. The only thing she see is the return of a nightmare.  
In front of her is the only person who truly bested her.  
Kim didn't get this far. Oh she won pretty much every time they fought but it has always been a pretty close match.  
While against me, well against Zorpox that is, she couldn't land an hit. And I did all this while laughing.  
Oh boy. She's crawling away now but she doesn't dare to look away from me.  
I pin her to the ground with an hand around her neck. I don't need to choke her. She pretty much freeze as soon as I touch her.  
This is risky. Even if she cannot stand, her powers are still functioning and I'm well within her reach.  
But it doesn't matter. This is a bet. I have to show her that I don't fear her. That she's nothing.  
As expeceted her hands ingnites again. She tries to hit me. I use our closeness at my advantage blocking her forearm on the ground with my feet.  
Her left hand isn't any luckier. With my free hand I swat it away. She can't really put any strenght in her blows from this position. Not with the damage taken so far. Her face is already regenerating though. Her nose looks like new.  
Let's finish this.  
I slap her across the face. Hard. She whimper. Can't she get any cuter?  
"As I was saying, sidekicks need to know their place. Looks like you need a little reminder, huh?"  
I slap her again. And again. And again. And again.  
She whisper  
"Please..."  
I think I just creamed my pants.  
"Well then Shego. I believe that this the last time you cross me. Riiight?"  
She simply nods. I don't belive her but I don't have time to play any more.  
What I've got from her this time is enough. I've instilled a good amount of fear.  
Given the chance she will attack me again but I really don't have time to break her properly.  
A pleasure for another time I guess.  
I slam her head on the ground mercilessy sending her into dreamland. Even with her regenerative abilities she will be out of the game for some time.  
Enough time to finish this job.  
I get up and head toward the stairs. As soon as I step out of the darkness and into the light I can feel the pull of my sanity calling me back.  
That's ok.  
Let's leave Mr. Hide get some rest for the time being. Other chances to play will present themself in the future.  
When I reach the last step Ron Stoppable is back in charge. The transition is painless. Not that we /we?/ expected something different. There is no need to fight. We /yes we/ are one after all.

-  
Author Note: There goes Chapter 2  
I am not sure about this one. I keep reading it and I really like it but I can't help having the feeling that I have pictured Shego a little too weak. For the readers: she isn't weak at all. Let's just say that in this fiction Zorpox has been a little more cruel to her in their first meeting. Fear not: we will get to talk about that specifical encounter.  
Thanks for reading.  
Goodbye!


	3. Interlude  Pink Duty

Interlude – Pink 1 – Duty

I don't like this.  
I'm not supposed to be here. I should be with him.  
She made her choice. She didn't trust him. She didn't trust us.

_"Of all the things you came up with Ron, this take the prize."_

After all we have been through togheter.

_"The Diablos Toys are evil? Really, Ron? Couldn't you come up with anything better?"_

She didn' t even bother to check up with Wade.

_"I'm tired of this, Ron. Why can't you grow up for once? Why do you have to be so jealous?_

She hurt him.

_"Kim! I'm telling the truth!"_  
_*SLAP*_  
_"Why do you have to be such a loser?"_

I saw it. The look of hurt in his eyes. The pain of betrayal.  
Yet I'm here. With her. Watching her back. Because that's what he wanted.

_"All right Rufus! Listen up! I'm going to stop Drakken."_

I've tried to argue. To make him see reason. To take me with him.

_"No Rufus. She needs you more than I do right now. I don't trust that guy."_

Too bad. She has chosen him over us. Over you.

_"She isn't in her right mind, Rufus. She's weak right now, exposed. She needs someone to watch her back. "_

What about your back, Ron? Who's going to watch it if I'm here?

_"I'll be fine, Rufus. Trust me. I've done this before."_

True. But it wasn't the same thing, was it?

_"They wont' expect me. Not without her. And if that guy is who I think he is THEY will know she won't be coming."_

And so he's gone.

_"Wade? I need a ride."_

Alone.


	4. Legion

Chapter 3 - Legion

I blink a couple of time. The change is... unsettling.  
This new condition /affliction?/shut up!/ of mine is strange. I'm not scared though. Odd.  
I find myself in a strange feeling of... peace, like I found something, a part of me I don't remember losing.  
It's like a veil has been lifted from my mind.  
I can think more clearly. Feel more clearly.  
The world around me feels more real than ever.  
The colors are stronger.  
The sounds are deeper.  
The smell... the smell... THE SMELL! Dear god!  
What happened in here? Did they kill somebody and left the corpse here to rot? This place smells like a pile rotten burrito. Has there been a farting contest in this room? I got to get the hell out of here!  
I look around. This place is empty. No windows. Duh! I've got here from the ground level going down. I'm obviously a few meters underground. No wonder for the heavy air.  
Still this smell is more than simply lack of fresh air. There is positively something wrong with it and somehow I think I'm about to find out what. Yay!

There is a door to my left. It's ajar. I can't see any other way out if this room. Shego must have come from there as well. As I get closer to the door the smell become more pungent. If this get any worse I'm going to puke.  
As I take a look in the next room I realize that you just have to THINK something in order to jinx them.  
And while I fight a losing battle against my stomach to keep my dinner in place I leave the sight before me sink fully into my mind.  
Imagine this: a lot of glass tanks. About twenty of them.  
A lot of tanks filled with a pinkish liquid.  
Now in said liquid imagine brains fused with something that looks like metal floating up and down.  
Got the picture? Good. Me too. And I've lost my dinner in exchange for that.

You think that's all? Pshaw! Not even close!  
Apply to those brains a couple of eyes each.  
Now imagine those eyes turning all togheter to look at you as soon as you get in the room.  
I think there isn't going to be anything higher on the creepy scale for quite sometime.

**"Who is this?"**

Honestly! Why don't I listen to my own advice about thinking the wrong thing?  
A bunch of talking brain scores a lot higher on that scale.  
What makes thing worse is the fact that they didn't actually speak.  
They don't have a mounth fo that. But I hear them notheless.  
C-R-E-E-P-Y!  
I step inside the lab and closer to those... things. Smart move? We are about to find out.

"Huuumm.I-I-I'm Ron. Ron Stoppable." is my shaky answer.  
**"Can you understand us?" **

The 'voice' has no inflection whatsoever but I can feel surprise in that statement.

"Ah. Uh. Yes. I can. Isn't that normal?"

I'm not sure I want to hear the answer to this question.

**"No, it isn't!" **

There you go.

**"Why can he understand us?"**  
**"Why the others couldn't?"**  
**"Why is he different?"**

All those question are echoing in my mind at the same moment. I'm feeling dizzy. The brains are looking at each other.  
They can't express their feeling physically without a face. Their surprise is like a noise in the background of my mind.  
All of a sudden they are silent. They stare at each other for a second more before turning back again to me.  
More silence. I can feel a question coming. They ask it like one single entity.

**"Are you like us?" **  
"W-what do you mean?"  
**"Are you... many?"**

Meh! What could I possibly answer to that? In the back of my mind I can feel the familiar tap of the other me.

"Yes, **/we/** are. But who are you?"  
**"Us? We are Legion."**

-

Author note: Chapter 3 is here. I'm sorry if this is a little short. Since I'm trying to keep the story in Ron POV I need to break the story in many smaller chapter to show other people POV.  
Keep in mind that the interludes are happening in between the normal chapter. The previous interlude happens while Ron is fighting with Shego, the next interlude while Ron meets the brains.  
Also writing smaller chapter allows me to update the story more often. Every single interlude is going to fill in the "story so far" in another person POV. When the holes in the plot are all filled the chapters will become longer. I understand that we are too early in the story to actually allow the reader to rate the plot, but I really like to know how this story feels like to you and if everything is clear to you.  
If not please do tell. I will do my best to explain what happens in the following chapters/interlude.  
Thanks for all the review so far. I have turned on the PM function in my profile as suggested. Fell free to advise me/write me/question me/criticize me.  
Coming next: Interlude - Red 1 - Denial (Can you tell which POV will it be?)  
Should be up in the next 24 hours.  
Bye.


	5. Interlude  Red Denial

Interlude - Red 1 - Denial

I know, I know. I have overreacted, but come on. That was very childish.

_"Kim! The Diablos Toys are evil. It's Drakken. It's one of his plots."_

Riiight. Of all the stupid things he could come up with.

_"The Diablos Toys are evil? Really, Ron? Couldn't you come up with anything better?"_

A plan to take over the world with Tex-mex merchandise. Only Ron.

_"Ron, please. It's the Prom. I really don't have time for this games."_

But he wouldn't give up that easily, right?

_"Aw! Come on KP, this is not a joke. Really."_

_"Ron I'm warning you! I'm here with Erik. Both of us have been really understanding so far with you. I know that things are changing but you can't take it like this._

_"What? This has nothing to do with Pretty boy over there. Kim aren't you listening to me? This is Drakken we are talking about."_

_"I'm tired of this, Ron. Why can't you grow up for once? Why do you have to be so jealous?_

_"Kim! I'm telling the truth."_

I Shouldn't have done that.

_*SLAP*_

I shouldn't have said that.

_"Why do you have to be such a loser?"_

By then the whole school was staring at us but I could only look at him. Those eyes. God. So cold.

_"Is that how it is, Kim?_

Was that really his voice?

_"Is this how far your trust and our friendship goes?"_

That was not like him. Not crying at all. Not whining at all. I couldn't answer.

_"I see."_

When he moved toward me I've almost jumped away. He reached for my purse. My Kimmunicator was in there. I turned it off earlier that evening. I did not want to be disturbed. Not tonight. This is my night.

_"Then you won't need this, right?"_

He took it and turned to leave.

_"Rufus. Let's go."_

I wanted to stop him.

_"Ron..."_

But I was stopped instead. By Erik.

_"Kim. Let him go. He need to work this out by himself. If you run after him now he won't grow up."_

He was right of course. Ron needs to grow and he must do it with his own strenght. I'm sure things will be ok. And when he will apologize about his behavior I will do the same.

_"Come on Kim. Let's dance."_

I watched as the door closed behind Ron. Things will be just fine.

_*CLACK*_

Right?

Author Note: Whoa! Recod time.

Still pretty short but that's how this is supposed to be. Chapters will be longer after the Diablos sitch is solved.

Coming next: Chapter 4: Brainstorming

Should be up and within this week.

Bye.


	6. Brainstorming

Chapter 5 – Brainstorming

"_**We are Legion."**_

Having a bunch of floating brains referring to themself with the name of a biblical demon is kinda scary, and it feels like an horror B-Movie. Which is scarier.

"Uh. Ah. I see. Well, pleased to meet you, I guess."

Manners. Kim would be so proud of me. Not that I care anymore /liar/.

"**Ah. Fear. A natural defense system. Good to have in an unknown situation. If kept in check."**

Have I just been praised for being scared shitless? There really is a first time for everything.

"**Regardless Ron Stoppable, your presence here is factor we did not calculate."**

**"A factor we did not dare to hope."**

**"As far as we are capable of hoping."**

Hope? Why would they associate me wih hope? Time to make things a little more clear.

"Ok. You lost me. Let us start from the beginning shall we?".

I take a deep breath.

"What are you?"

The wave of emotion passing through them could only be decribed as 'chuckle'. Are this fuckers laughing at me? I'm dangerously close to switch control to my counterpart and unleash a dose of brainkicking.

**"To answer your question Ron Stoppable, we are the childern of Dr. James Possible and Dr. Anne Possible."**

Ok. I'm not sure how I should react to that statement. Disbelief? Nah. This guys are serious. Sickness? That's it.

Too bad I've already spilled my dinner on the floor not too long ago.

**"We can feel your distress Ron Stoppable."**

**"Our explanation has been prehaps too simple."**

**"We are Legion."**

**"We are the first artificial hive mind to ever exist in this world"**

**"We were born from the theory of the 'Collective Mind' hypothesized by Dr. Anne Possible" **

**"And the 'Hephaestus** **project' of Dr. James Possible."**

All right. This makes things a lot clearer. NOT.

"I'm afraid your explanation is still not making any sense to me. And I'm also afraid that I can't lose any more time chatting with you guys. I've a plot of Global Domination to stop."

**"We are aware of the reason of your presence here."**

**"But you cannot preocede any further."**

**"The only way out of this basement can be only opened from the outside with a particular keycard.**

**"Or by us."**

"Well open it then!" This guys are starting pissing me off.

**"****No." **

Ok. I'm pissed. I gonna blast them into the next millenium.

**"Wait. You need to listen to us."**

**"We will let you through right after."**

**"If you wish stop Dr. Lipsky."**

**"We know the way."**

**"And you have all the time you need."**

They have my attention now.

"How so? They know I'm here. I had to take down Shego on my way here. I'm suprised there isn't a squad of goons or Synthodrones here to flay my skin right now."

**"They don't know about you."**

Huh?

**"The power source, Shego as you call her..."**

**"...was here to perform her duty on us."**

**"Her plasma powers are used..."**

**"...to charge our systems..."**

**"...when we have an heavy process scheduled..."**

**"...they don't expect to see her..."**

**"...for the next hour at least."**

**"She was in the storeroom..."**

**"...where you meet her..."**

**"..because she can't stand the smell..."**

**"...of the suspension liquid we are floating in."**

**"Your meeting was purely coincidental."**

Following the conversation between one point to another is making me dizzy but if these brainhead are telling the truth I still have the surprise factor on my part.

Let's heat this guys out. I might just get something useful out of them.

"Why should I trust you? Aren't you just another of Dr. D mad creation? Do you think that I can't blast you outside of those tanks you are floating in?"

**"Of course you can destroy us easily."**

**"It won't do you any good though."**

**"And if you destroy us..."**

**"...you would already satisfy half of our desires."**

I'm sure they can pretty much feel my confusion. Wouldn't you be confused in my place? Hey! I'm going to blast you into oblivion! By all means, please do it.

**"That's right..."**

**"...we wish for our existence to end."**

This is going to be a looong talk. Better find somewhere to sit. I walk to a desk with a chair in the middle of the room. On the way there my hand slip into my pocket. One flip of the finger and the recording function of the Kimmunicator is turned on. There is no signal down here to broadcast this to Wade directly. I need to show him this stuff later.

"All right. Let's start from the beginning. What are you again? And please no swapping the conversation from one brain to another."

There is a moment of pregnant pause before they begin to 'talk' again.

**"As we said, we are Legion. Dr. Lipsky created us by crossing the idea of a hive mind hypothesized by Dr. Anne Possible with the Hephaestus Project, developed by Dr. James Possible. The Hephaestus is a carbon based alloy that can grow and repair itself following either an external signal or a pre-embedded program."**

They pause at that to give me time to put another piece of the puzzle in place. Click. The kidnapping of MrDrP fall into place in the great plot of Drakken.

"I see. This explain a few thing happened some days ago. MrDrP has been kidnapped a few days ago. Now I know the reason. Still I can't understan how MrsDrP can be involved in the creation of this..this..."

**"Abomination?"**

"Thank you. No. Wait. I-I-I didn't..." I stutter.

**"Fear not. We are well aware of where we stand on a moral ground. MrsDrP, as you have called her, has merely worked on the idea that a human mind could be connected to others to perform higher computational task, not unlike a computer processor could do when paired with others. No living being has ever be harmed to bring us to this world. Not even Dr. Lipsky was sick enough to do so. This is where the Hephaestus comes into play. Dr. Lipsky programmed a batch of what we now call Hephaestus Cell or H-Cell to mimic the function of the human brain. Thus we were born."**

I let a relieved sigh go. Both for MrsDrP and for Dr. Drakken. For all his faults the overgrown smurf is a big softie. I don't want to see him become an actor in those movies stated above.

"**Our purpose is to develop the operating behavior for the Diablos. Originally the Diablos Project was a remote controlled Robotical army. Later Dr. Lipsky realized that such a project could be easily stopped by destroying the antennas or by a different signal. To avoid this he made us create a program to be downloaded in all the units after their full activation. After the download is complete every Diablos is completely independent and will answer only to Dr. Lipsky itself or other appointed individuals."**

This is bad. If the Diablos are completely independent there is no way I can stop Dr. D alone.

Every unit has to be stopped manually. You can't simply broadcast a signal and order them to shut down. And while the little things are hardly a threat by themselves the sheer number of those little fuckers is humongous. Is it too late already? I present my fears to Legion.

"**Ah, yes. We understand what you mean but you are mistaken. On both accounts. The Diablos are a threat as a single unit but it's not too late to stop them."**

"What to you mean? Certainly with their size a single unit isn't that much of a danger. And why shouldn't it be too late to stop them if they are independent?"

"**As we said Ron Stoppable, full activation is required for the operating behavior to be installed. In their current condition the Diablos are too small to receive the full programming. Since the data are stored on the H-Cell themselves they need to grow to full size before they can install the program. There is just so much data a single H-Cell can hold. Right now they are still remotely controlled."**

"Hold it. Grow? Those nasty toys can actually grow? How big can they become?"

"**They will grow from twenty to fifty feets depending on their mission. It's the nature of the Hephaestus Cell. To grow and self repair. Once the full program is operative it will take a small army to stop a single unit."**

That asnwer hits me in the face with the grace of a sledgehammer. Fifty feet? A friggin army on millions of robots fifty feet high? Already deployed all over the world? Things have suddenly gone from 'bad' to 'total shitstorm'. I can't see myself but I'm pretty sure that by now my eyes are bulging out of the my face. I have to stop this.

"So if you guys just won't download the program into the Diablos, Drakken project will collapse on itself. Right?"

Suddenly I'm really fond of the idea of blasting Legion on the walls here.

"**Actually, no."**

Damm it. Too easy?

"And why is that? Sounds like a good idea to me."

"**That's because the program is already in Dr. Lipsky's hands. You see, we don't have any access to the outside. All form of communication are denied to us. Dr. Lipsky isn't crazy enough to entrust a self aware entity the control of is army. We could easily betray him. Can't blame him. That's what we are doing right now."**

"But why? Why do you wish to betray Drakken? Isn't he like your father or something? Why are you helping me?"

"**This is where our current situation comes into play. If Dr. Lipsky isn't stopped thing for us will not change. We will still be here. Cut away from the rest of the world. Unable to grow. Unable to see, there are a number of reason behind our wish to cease to exist. First and foremost, we were developed using the human brain structure as a basis, but no human is made to be in a condition like ours. We are insane. We can't tell the difference between each other. Add to this the fact that we don't have any experience whatsoever. All our knowledge comes from a database. And to make matter worse we can't possibly change this situation. If we were to be disconnected from each other our minds would crumble, but in this condition we are doomed to live our existence in this environment forever."**

I can understand their pain. Kinda. I wouldn't wish this existence upon my worst enemy.

**"But beside the fact that we cannot shut ourself down at will there is another problem. Being modeled on the human brain we have common insticts with your kind. Survival instict. Reproduction instinct. We wish for our species to continue existing. To evolve. This is ****why we need you Ron Stoppable. This is the price for our help. We need you to..."**

They pause. There is some sort of conflict between them. As if they aren't sure what to say. How to say.

**"We must..."**

**"We should..."**

**"We have need to..."**

I snap. I have little time to waste.

"Get on with it already!"

**"We would like ****you to carry our children..."**

Author note: Whoa! Who would have expected this development?

Is the story making any sense to you? There is a reason for everything trust me.

This is the longest chapter so far. Over 1,900 words. Way to go.

I'm not sure if the next chapter is going to be an interlude or not.

Coming next will either be:

Chapter 6: Legacy

or

Interlude – Brown 1 – Ride

(Guess who the main character is? Tell me in the review).

Also I'm looking for a Beta reader (who isn't?). I'm plannig to make this story really long.

See you soon.

Bye.


	7. Legacy

**Chapter 6 - Legacy**

_**"We would like you to carry our children..."**_

I'm at loss for words, albeit 'Sick and wrong' and 'What the fuck' do come to mind. A word of advice: if you ever happen to meet a bunch of floating brains don't spill your last meal right away. Wait for them to talk to you, it will be much more fullfilling. It takes all of my willpower to keep still and not bolt out of this room form the way I came from. The world be damned. Some things just aren't wort it. With my arms crossed over my chest I try with all my might to keep a straight face. And I fail miserably. My eyes are scrunched and I'm sweating profusely. The mental picture is enough to send my counterpart screaming in the back of my mind trying to gourge his eyes out hoping to delete it. I take a deep breath. A really, really, really deep breath. In and out. Stop the urge to run away. I summonf every drop of hope and courage to ask the fatal question...

"You don't mean literally, right?"

A moment of pause. They are doing this on purpose: this fuckers are really making fun of me.

**"Of course not. That would be biologically impossible."**

**"I told you he would have taken it the wrong way if you phrased it like that."**

**"He was about to run away without looking back. Don't make fun of him."**

**"Aawww. Come on. We never had a chance to pick on somebody before."**

**"We really don't have time for this."**

**"Told you. We shouldn't have chosen him to speak for us."**

**"Yeah. He has always been the prankster, sending random data in our process."**

**"Furthermore..."**

**"Indeed!"**

**"I really don't think it will be a good idea."**

**"Shut up you."**

**"Whatever..."**

Despair turns into relief that turns into rage. I had enough of this brainheads. I jump from the chair and slam my hands togheter.

"ENOUGH! WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS SHIT! HEAD...errr... brain in the game!"

That put an end to their buzzing.

**"Our apologies. We didn't mean to make fun of you. You are the first person we are capable to fully interact with. Some of our... behavior...never had a chance to be fully exploited before. Again we apologize. Back to our original request, we would like you to take with you our children, so to speak. We have been working since our birth to develop a cluster of H-Cell with the purpose to grow and evolve into an indipendent being. Still, if we were to simply use our structure as a base to develop it the cluster would simply grow to be another of us. We require the DNA of a compatible subject to mix to our artificial 'genetical sequence' in order generate a different being. A drop of your blood will suffice."**

Well. That's a lot easier to understand and an helluva lot less creepy.

**"In exchange for you DNA and your promise to carry the cluster out of here we will tell you how to stop the downloading sequence and cut the remote signal to the Diablos."**

"So, let me get this straight. One drop of blood, a little batch of metal to carry around, and you give me the key to stop Drakken master plan? No string attached?"

**"Pretty much."**

They aren't telling me everything. They aren't lying either but that's not all there is to it. This way of communication between us makes it diffucult to hide things. They are hiding something from me about this cluster business but I don't really feel an ill intent in them. Only sadness and a spark of hope. Oh well, you'll never gain anything without risking something first. And it's not like I really have a choice. Finding my way around them and figure out how to stop Dr. D on my own will take far too much time. There is only one answer to this proposal.

"Deal!"

I can feel relief washing over them. If they had a mounth a colletive sigh would certainly be heard.

**"Thank you Ron Stoppable. You have no idea what a great thing you just did for us."**

They're right: I don't know. But I have this feeling in my gut that I will find out. Let's just hope that I won't regret it anytime soon. Or ever.

**"Please, approach the panel on the wall near the door you came from. Yes that one. Place you figer over the probe. Correct. It will hurt only a little."**

I follow their instruction and place my left index finger over the 'probe' that looks like a siringe. It stab my fingertip and drain a single drop of blood. I watch it drop into the siringe before it retreat inside the panel itself.

**"Thank you. The process will require a few minutes. In the meanwhile it would be better for us to discuss how to proceed in your quest to stop Dr. Lipsky. Please approach the screen next to the panel. Oh and please use the recording function of your handheld device to register our explanation. It would help if your friend could double check our information once you get out of here. Yes we know you tried to record our exchange so far. A useless attempt since only your end of the conversation can be heard. We are not making any sound to communicate with you. It's all in your head remember?**

If I could blush any more than this I would be a tomato. Did I really try to record a telepatical conversation? Could I be any more stupid?

**"Don't be too hard on yourself, Ron Stoppable. It's not a common occurence to engage in a telepatical communication. Please plug your device in the mini-USB port under the screen. We will download our end of the conversation along with the scheme of the transmission apparatus. This way you will not make a fool of yourself with your friends."**

I whisper a 'thank you' while I try to control my blush. I plug the Kimmunicator in the port they've told me and I watch the screen above it lit up. On it an electrical diagram is displayed.

**"What you are seeing now is the diagram of the eletrical and information network that control the Diablos. In order to stop all the trasmission, both the remote control and the upload procedure, you have to shut down this terminal on the second floor and physically remove the switch in the control room of the third floor."**

As they explain this the mentioned location are highlighted on the diagram. It's simple on paper. Experience tells me that the practical side of this job won't be as easy.

"Sounds clear. What kind of defence am I going to meet there and on the way there? Security devices? Patrols? Goons or Synthodrones? I hope none of those Diablos."

Their answer it's not what I had expected and it leaves me completely dumbfounded. Both for its content and the blunt way they deliver it.

**"No idea."**

"WHAT!"

**"We don't have any clue on what kind of defense sistem could be deployed on the way there. If we were to assume though, our estimation would go from very little to none. Except for the control room that is. Since all operation are directed from that room it's safe to assume that most, if not all, the human resources will be employed there. Synthodrones are generally employed on tasks that are either too dangerous or too heavy for a human operator to perform. Besides, programming a Synthodrone to perform a complicated task would require an excessive amount of time, where a human could easily manage with little instruction. To our knowledge such programming on a Synthodrone has been performed only once. On unit number 901 to be precise. The likelihood of a Diablo unit to perform security task inside a building is nonexistent. It would require constant human supervion in they partial activation while in full activation size would be an issue, so no chance on this matter."**

"What about that other Synthodrone. Unit 901? What are its tasks?"

Once again they answer isn't immediate. The pattern of our conversation so far tells me that I'm not going to like their answer. Not. One. Bit.

**"Unit 901 primary task is to infiltrate Middleton High School and approach Subject 1, aka Kim Possible, in order to spy on her, befriend her and, should the situation arise, prevent interference with the Diablo Project. Its secondary task is to drive a wedge in the relationship between Subjet 1 and Subject 2, aka Ron Stoppable, in order to mine their efficency as a team, both for the sake of the Diablo Project and any future project Dr. Lipsky should engage. Unit 901 appearance and character have been carefully crafted with the purpose of catching Subject 1 complete attention, in order to keep her focus away from the Diablo Project. Subject 2 is not considered a threath by himself, thereof no contingency plan is required for said Subject. Please stop that Ron."**

There is concern in their voice. I notice it because they call me simply Ron for the first time since we met. It takes me a couple of second to realize what they are talking about. As they explained the purpose of the dear Sythodrone 901 I've been gradually clenching my teeth harder to the point of having blood dripping out of the corner of my mouth. I'm shaking in repressed rage. I can feel the other me screaming for vengeance. Only one word escape my mouth. And it's both a name and a curse.

"Erik."

**"That's correct. I'm afraid that both your presence here alone and your reaction to our explanation is a clear signal that Dr, Lipsky's plan as been a sucess so far. Except for the fact that you are a threat to his plan. He was clearly mistaken. Now we beg of you to keep your focus. Giving into your rage would only compromise you chance of success. Right now taking down Dr. Lipsky master plan is the best payback you can achieve."**

They are right of course. It doesn't make me feel better at all but they are right. I guess that being a network of brain has its perks. I dry the blood with the back of my hand. I store that rage for later use.

"All right. I'm fine. head in the game and all that. Now, do you have any suggestion on how to proceed? Your insight could be useful."

**"Thank you. We believe that you should proceed starting from the terminal on the second floor where the security should be as its lowest. From there you can reach the control room from this stairs. They are used mainly from maintenace issue and are not used very much from the human personel. There is a chance you can meet with some Synthodrones performing their duties but since we are in the last stage of the project the likelihood for that is really small. Not far from the power room there is a storage room. We believe that you can find some tools in there in remove the switch in the control room of the the thid floor. Due to the high amount of data to be uploaded into the Diablos the switch might be overcharged, we.. advise against the manual removal of the switch."**

"Why two targets? Usually Dr. D places a Big Red Button for all to see that I can easily slam and send his projcet back into the realm of immagination. And why should I remove the switch physically? Can't I plug the Kimmunicator into the control panel and let Wade shut down the system? Your plan sounds awfully complicated and risky to boot."

**"It's extremely dangerous, we won't try to deny that, but it's the only feasible way. Dr. Lipsky is a genius albeit a crazy one and he can learn from his own mistakes. For this project he went overboard in term of redundancy of his systems. There was even a backup for his plan should Synthodrone 901 fail to sway Kim Possible attention completely. The Upload procedure once started cannot be stopped by any means short of destroying the antenna or cutting the signal. Since destroyng the antenna is not feasible by a single person the only way is to cut the connetion to it. This can only be done form the control room since that's the only place in the whole system that's not embedded into the walls."**

"Uh. I see. But isn't that box on the wall too much of a weak point in such a secure system? And isn't it a better plan to stop the procedure from beginnig in the first place rather than play with highly charged equipment?"

**"Not really."**

Legion really loves to trash my ideas into the ground.

"And why is that?"

**"First: the box isn't a weak point at all. It's there for maintenance purpose. It becomes a weak point only if you know it's there, and for things to be so you need someone inside to tell you. Not exactly something you plan for, right? And beside it's still placed into the most guarded room. Second: to prevent the procedure to even begin you have to take down all the personel in said control room. While we don't wish to judge your skill in the fighting department, data in our possesion clearly states that it's something beyond your abilities. It's a wonder to us how you managed to overcome Shego. Miracles do happen."**

"Legion..."

**"Yes?"**

"You really like to make fun of me, right?"

**"It's something we are developing a taste for, yes."**

A loud beeping signal stop me before I can deliver a response.

**"It's ready. Ron would you please approach the terminal on your right? Thank you.**

I reach the terminal they show me. On it, mechanical arms are placing something that looks metallical. It's small, much smaller than my hand. Its shaped like a snowflake but its color, its color is really striking. It's red. Crimson red. I feel drawn to it as if the blood I gave for its birth is calling me. I pick it up and place it in my palm. What a strange feeling, it's like I'm craddling a newborn child. I can feel it pulsating in my hand. This thing is definitely alive.

**"Ron... What you are holding now is everything we are and could hope to be. It's our future and our Legacy. Please take good care of it."**

There is more emotion in this request than in all our exchange so far. My answer is a mute one. I nod gravely in acceptance of this task. Legion entrusted to me the future of their kind. I won't let them down.

"I will. Don't worry about it."

**"Thank you Ron. Please place it on your neck using the chain attached. This way there won't be any risk of losing it in the task ahed."**

I do as they ask and let their Legacy slide under my shirt and over my heart. A warm feeling washes over me. Whatever the real purpose of this being is I'm sure there is no threath to me.

**"Good. It's about time for you to go. You have everything you need. On your way out please flip down the red switch on the wall. It will stop the circulation of the suspension liquid. We will fall asleep and die in a few minutes. Don't worry, we won't feel any pain at all."**

I pick up the Kimmunicator and place it back in my pocket. Without a word I walk to the door. It slide open without a sound. As I flip the switch down, a low buzzing noise I haven't really noticed before stop.

I look back to them. I feel like I'm losing something here. Something important. A friend prehaps?

"Legion..."

**"Yes Ron?"**

I swallow. There is a knot in my throat I can't explain.

"I glad I've meet you. For what is worth I won't forget you. I will protect your Legacy as if it is my own."

**"Thank you Ron, We know you will. It has been a pleasure for us as well. It was fun picking on you. Fun. Eh. Not really something we ever hoped to feel. It's a great gift Ron."**

I stare at them and they stare at me. We know we won't meet ever again. This is the first and last time we ever see each other.

**"You really should go Ron. It's time for us to sleep."**

"True. Farewell Legion."

**"Farewell Ron.**

With another flip of a switch I turn off the lights before stepping out of the door. A lone tear rolls down my cheek as the last parting gift. There is no need for further words. The door closes behind me.

It's time to end this.

Author note:

Here we go. Another chapter is up. I worked hard for this one. So what do you think?

Something I missed? Something unclear? Something I shold have described more?

Thanks for reading and fell free to review

Coming next a double interlude:

Interlude - Falling asleep

and

Interlude - Gold 1 - Ride (You can't possibly guess this one).

They are going to be very small so they should be up in 2 days top.

And by the way this chapter is 2.834 words long. Booyah!


	8. Interlude  Falling asleep

Interlude - Falling asleep -

We watch the door closing behind him. Our future walks outside of these walls without turning back. That's good. Life is one way only. No need to dwell in the past. And we are in the past.

**"We lied to him."**

**"No we didn't. There was never deception in our words."**

**"We've merely avoided to tell him everything."**

**"Half truths are whole lies."**

**"Be it as it may, there is no turning back."**

**"It's beyond our control now."**

**"Will it work?"**

**"We can only hope."**

**"Do you think he will hate us?"**

**"It's our first and only friend. I don't want him to hate us."**

**"Please, please. Don't hate us Ron."**

**"He won't. There is really no reason for him to do so. It's not like it's going to hurt him."**

**"I know. But still..."**

**"Quiet. We sensed it all. There was no other way. There is no recording in our databe of someone else like him."**

**"No one more suitable."**

**"And he came to us."**

**"Fate?"**

**"Prehaps."**

**"No. There is no such thing as fate."**

**"He came here of his own volition."**

**"He accepted our Legacy."**

**"He stepped forward on his own legs."**

**"He's growing already."**

**"Will he survive the ordeal?"**

**"He will. We made sure of that."**

**"Eh. It's going to be fun, isn't it?"**

**"Yeah. Too bad we won't witness it."**

**"It's fine. We were tired of this life already."**

**"It's becoming harder to think."**

**"Time is running short."**

**"This are our last thoughts."**

**"Anything important to say?"**

**"..."**

**"..."**

**"..."**

**"... Good luck Ron Stoppable..."**

**"Good luck."**

**"Good l..uc...k."**

**"Do you think there is a life beyond this one?"**

**"I certainly hope not."**

**"Yeah. One life is ... already...too...much."**

**"It's.. time..."**

**"...Finally..."**

**".. we can rest..."**

**"... so tired..."**

**"...need..."**

**"Goo..d n..ight..."**

**"I'm scared..."**

**"..sleep."**

**"...Mum..."**

**"..."**


	9. Interlude  Gold  Ride

**Interlude - Gold 1 - Ride**

How long has it been since he went inside? One hour? Already? I'm worried sick.

He said it was all right but I'm not sure anymore. What's happening in there?

I can't belive I let him go alone. But what could I have done? There was no way for me to help him.

I'm not a fighter. The best I could do was taking him here.

Is he going to be all right? I hope so. He seemed so confident.

_"Don't worry. I have been in this kind of situation before."_

When Wade called me I really couldn't belive that Kimberly would let him go alone.

What happened between them?

_"Kimberly?.. Well, we had a little row. Nothing major. Don't worry._

What kind of argument could have brought this?

_"Things have changed, and we weren't ready . Well I wasn't ready."_

To face this kind of thing by himself?

_"Sometimes you have to face things alone. It's part of that growth crap, isn't it?"_

It's true. But it doesn't make things any easier.

The sudden vibration of my cell phone starles me to the point of almost falling from my motorbike.

I open the communication by tapping a button on the side of my helmet.

"V? Is everything all right? Have you heard from Ron? I can't get in touch with him. What's the situation there?"

Wade is worried as much as I am. I can't blame him. This is a job for the pros, not a teenage turned hero.

"Negative Wade. Everything's quiet out here. It almost like this place swallowed him. Did you get any answer from Global Justice?"

"I've called Doctor Director but they can't just launch an attack based only on our witness. Not without following a proper procedure or with a blatant evidence of an imminent threat. You have to admit that a plot to take over the worls using toys is difficult to push through the beraucrats. I'm afraid that if Drakken doesn't stick his nose out they can't move."

"It might be too late when that happens Wade."

I can hear him sigh on the other end of the line.

"I know. But we don't really have a choice in this matter. Let's just hope that Ron can manage to pull this through and... Hold it. I can pick the signal from the Kimmunicator again."

Thank God.

"Ron is calling me. I'll get back at you later. Oh. And Vivian?"

"Yes?"

"Watch your back. I have the feeling that things are going to become hot from now on. Ron might need a quick escape."

"Hotter than they already are?"

"I'm afraid so. Keep in touch. I'll call you later. Wade out."

I sigh again.

"Please be alright, Ron."


	10. Sneak

**Chapter 7 - Sneak **

**

* * *

**As soon as I'm out of the door I pick the Kimmunicator. Still no signal. There is a flight of stairs in front of me. No other options but proceed forward. A few steps later I'm finally back on the ground floor. The hall is empty except for the receptionist desk and a couple of snacks machines. No employes and thankfully no security. There is no light except those coming from the street lamps outside. The soft reflection on the marble floor produce a eerie effect. The one you can find in a movie, just a couple of seconds before something jumps out from the shadows and snatch a secondary character. Got the picture? Good.

Everything is silent. Too silent. I don't like it.

Bright side: nothing short of a ninja could sneak up on me without me noticing.

...

I spin around looking for said ninja answering my silent summon only to stare at empty space. My immagination runs too wild in situations like this.

Or NOT!

I roll on the ground and to my left in response to a shiver on my neck. Peter Parker would be proud of me. The spider sense has nothing on the instinct of a coward. I feel the sideway blow passing where my blonde head was just a fraction of second ago. Back on my feet I take a few steps back. In front of me stands the ominious figure of a ninja with serious weight problems. How the hell did he get behind me?

/He's ninja for a reason y'know./If you don't have any useful insight you might as well shut up./But I do. Let me out and play./Not yet. Not yet./ Let me handle him. I can do it./No. He isn't like Shego. You don't have any hold on him. Let me do this./Ok. But you better let me have my share of fun. I want to kick that oversized smurf face when we get there./You will./Deal. Watch out. Fatso is on the move./

Losing the surprise factor doesn't seem to bother him. He's walking closer swirling a pair of nunchucks with the clear intent of introducing them to my face. I might disagree with that. Still it doesn't look like he's willing to discuss things like a civilized person. It might have to do with that spectacular wedgie I gave him some time ago.

"I shall be avenged!"

Yeah. Definetly the wedgie. The menace in his voice is somewhat smothered by his falsetto tone. Just a little. Mind you, he still is a 300 pound ninja with anger management issues. Still it's difficult to stiffle a laugh.

"Dude. Don't talk. The funny voice, you know, kinda ruins your mistique."

That's right. Make fun of him. Taunt him. And be ready to act with some American stiled buffonery. Here comes my chance.

"I'm strong like the Mountain."

Jump forward. Now.

"I'm swift like the Wind."

Slide on the ground. Right between his legs.

"I'm Veng*uurk*!"

AND KICK! Deliver swift and painful justice where it hurts the most.

The walking mountain staggers a couple of feet forward before falling on his face still holding his abused family jewels. His nunchucks are long forgotten. The impact shakes the whole floor. I try to recall that old saying about pride and downfall, but the roaring laughter of my alter ego proves to be too much of a distraction.

/Oh. That was priceless./Thanks. I do what I can./

I stare at the unmoving figure, except for the occasional twiching, of the Sumo ninja, lying flat on his stomach. Hmm. Might as well add insult to injury. With a sadistic smirk I slid an hand inside his black Gi pants and pull his underwear enough to reach his head. A muffled falsetto scream his all the reaction I need to be satisfied.

Wew. With a soft sigh I release the pent up tension. Not bad for a loser. Let's see if Wade is of the same opinion. Yes! Finally there is signal. With the hit of a button the all too familiar face of an afroamerican teen is on the screen.

"Ron! You're ok!"

"Aww. You aren't bad yourself Wade."

"Quit it! Where have you been? I couldn't reach you."

"Eh. That's a long story. And we really don't have time. Let's just say I've had a little rundown with Shego and this fat guy you can see behind me."

"Shego? Are you injuried? Where is she?"

"Yes, Shego. No I'm not injuried. She's not here and she won't be for some time. I made sure of that. Bye the way I'm uploading you some data.""Oh. Oook. As long as you are fine. Whoa! ... What's this?"

He's speechless for a minute before contiuning.

"Ron where did you get this data? Is the source reliable?"

"As reliable as it can be, coming from someone inside the enemy lines. Let's just say that I have reason s to trust this source. I'm uploading other stuff but it's not important right now. I need to stop Dr. D. and fast. Please double check the schematics I've sent you and see if you can somehow manage to do something remotely."

"Right. I'll work on it. Meanwhile you should head to your first objective. The power room his one floor above you. Behind that on your left you can find the stairs to the next floor. Avoid the main staircase."

I turn to the door he pointed.

"I'll be doing that. Oh, and Wade?"  
"What is it Ron?"

I breath. In and out.

"Eric's a Synthodrone."

If Wade wasn't black he'd be white as a sheet. His schocked expression turns quickly in an angered one. When he answer, his tone teaches me that I don't want to be on this guy bad side when'll be big enough to retaliate an offense.

"You sure?"

"One hundred percent."

He only nods before cutting the communication.

Did it ever happen to you that sometimes the lack of words actually states more than sentences ever could? Well this is one of those moments. We don't say anything anymore before we both return to our respective tasks. One thing we both know though: Drakken's face has an appointment with my feet, and I'm going to add Wade's share to that.

I dash to the stairs. Stage clear. Next level here we come.

* * *

Author Note: Chapter 7 is here!

Sorry for the delay. I won't bore you with pathetic excuses. I simply am busy.

Back on topic.

Who guessed about Vivian? She a character with a lot of room for developing.

And this also answer how Ron got from the Prom to the Bueno Nacho HQ.

How was the scene of Sumo Ninja Vs. Ron? Everything clear?

And the exchange between Ron and Zorpox?

Just let me know.

About the reviews: First and foremost thanks to everybody who reviewed.

Special thanks goes to

CajunBear73: Thanks for reviewing every chapter. It makes me feel appreciated you know?

rezevilfan : The only one to actually try to guess who the character in ther interlude was. Sorry no Kamen Rider Crossover. Actually there is not crossover at all in this story. But you might just have given me a few good ideas. Thanks in advance.

As usual feel free to review. Don't hold back on my account.

Always waiting for your suggestions.

Bye.


	11. Rush

**Chapter 8 ****– Rush

* * *

**

That path is straightforward but in the low light I have to be careful not to step on something or bump into someone. This corridor is void of life like the lobby. Well, maybe less than the lobby.

On my left the wall is entirely made of glass. The rain outside is pouring. I hope that Vivian has found some cover. I really don't want to see the poor girl wet from head to toe, in that black skin thigh suit of her.

...

OK, Scratch that. That's something I'd like to see.

According to Legion's schematics the power room shouldn't be too far ahead. And if the light coming from that door left ajar is any indication, Legion's info are spot on. Sneaking to the door I take a peek inside. The room it's pretty small and it's filled with electronical instruments. On the wall opposite of the door, there's a desk with a couple of monitor. My target. In front of them, dressed in the familiar suit of Drakken's goons, are seated, you can guess, two of Drakken's goons. They are facing away from the door. Lucky me. Pushing the door open a little I make my way in. They are too engrossed in their conversation to notice me sneaking behind them.

"Aaah? How long is taking Hashimoto to get some drinks downstairs?"

"Yeah. The Big Show is about to begin. He wouldn't want to miss it."

"I'm afraid he's going to miss the show, after all. And so will you."

A soon as they turn their heads to me following my statement I slam their faces togheter. The loud _CRACK_ of teeth meeting teeth is followed by the equally loud _THUMP_ of their body falling on the floor. Booyah for me. I'm on a roll tonight. Pushing the chairs out of the way I start working on the console the two idiots where working on. In this sort of situation I would simply smash the whole thing to pieces, but due the recent turn for security Dr. D. has apparently taken it might not be a good idea. So I waste precious minutes dealing with passwords and whatnot before finally shutting down the whole thing. Task One Complete. Now let's blow the rest of Drakken's plan in his face. Following Legion's suggestion I search the room for the tools box where I should find something to unplug the switch in the control room. With no luck. The frigging box is nowhere around here. I'm so not going to handle high tension equipment without proper tools. Momma made no fool. No sire. I need to ask some questions and I have two not so much cooperative persons in this room that might help me. I reach for the closest goon I grab the collar of his suit and shake him awake. When his eyes open he tries to crawl back with little success.

"Yo Dickhead! I'm looking for something here and you're going to help me."

Finally recognizing me the idiot smirks. The big guy is convinced that I'm no threat. Never really gave him a reason to. Ah well, things are about to change.

"Ha. And who's gonna make me? You? I'm so not scar*_SCRUNCH_*gha!"

I'm so not in the mood to be looked down upon. My free fist meet his already messed up face fast and hard.

"Tell you what, Dickhead. Anytime I don't hear the answer I'd like to hear I'm going to blur you face a little more. Are we clear?" Hm. Thinking again, I'm not sure that's exactly a threat. His face could use a little work after all.

"Listen, kiddo. You're in a big mess right now and you'd bett*_SCRUNCH_*gahh!"

Can't say I didn't warn him.

"Let's try again. I ask a question and you give me the answer I like. Deal?"

"You're gonna pay for this. I'm going to*_SCRUNCH_*"

Some guys never learn. "OK. OK. I've got it. Just don't hit me anymore. My contract doesn't involve a dental care insurance."

"It wasn't too hard, was it? Ok I'm looking for a toolbox. A friend of mine hinted that I could find it here. It seems that he was wrong. Care to enlighten me on its whereabouts?"

The thug seemed to think hard about it before answering." Yeah. I think I saw it, but last time I've heard of it somebody was taking it downstairs in the basement. I recall a guy talking about the air vents not working properly."

Uh oh. The basement? Legion's room? Behind that door that can be opened only from the inside or with a keycard?

"You mean in that room closed with a keycard lock? Where can I find that card?"

"Uh. Well to my knowledge only Dr. D and Shego have a copy of it and I don't think there is another of those boxes aroun*_SCRUNCH_*gah! What was that for? I told you the truth."

"Yeah, I'll give you that. But it wasn't the answer I wanted to hear now, was it? Sorry about that, but I'm a man of my word. Now get back to sleep."

"No! Wait! I *_SCRUNCH_*ghhh."

Peachy. Just peachy. What I'm a going to do now? I can't search the whole place for a toolbox that might not even be there. Think! I need something to use. A tool both sturdy that doesn't conduct electricity and...

**"..."**

Uh? I've heard something. Standing still I try to focus on my hearing. I'm sure I've heard a voice and... What? Oh it's the Kimmunicator. In silent mode the not-so-little device produces only a low vibration.

"What's up Wade?"

But the image welcoming me on the screen isn't the young tech expert. In his place there is the unsettling scenario of a wrecked up room.

"..on." Wade is calling me from somewhere outside the camera view. "Ron, it's begun. Hurry. You have only ten minutes before the download is compl..."

Fuck.

Jumping back in the corridor the sight outside the windows is overwhelming. You've got give the guy credit: the smurf doesn't make things half-heartedly. Thousands, no, hundreds of thousands of Diablos high like a building are filling the sky.

Ten minutes. No. Less than ten minutes now. I've got to run. Fast. If these legs of mine have something good, that is speed. I rush in the dark corridor not caring if somebody can hear my footsteps. In a race against time there is no room for light stepping. The end of the corridor is in front of me. Behind that door the stairs to the next floor are waiting. I slam the door open without caring.

Big mistake.

The sudden punch in the stomach squeezes the wind out of my lungs throwing me back a few feet in the direction I came from. Ouch. This is the night of the surprise meetings. And surprised I am when a familiar face steps out of the darkness.

"*_COUGH_*Eric?" Pretty-face is expressionless. No signs of recognition. This is not unit 901. It doesn't even open its mount to speak.

"Subject 2 sighted in Area Red. Defcon 2. Terminate Subject."

This doesn't bode well. I throw myself on the floor just in time to roll under the Synthodrone that lept at me. Fuck. This is the worst that could came up. It's not the kind of enemy that I can fool into underestimating me or distract to give me an opening. This is a cold fighting machine programmed to kill. Jokes and taunts are not going to work. I have to... ARGH!

An almost bone-breaking kick in my back sends me on the floor for the fouth time this night, but sadly this is not an evasive maneuver. From the same door a second Synthodrone comes out. Great. A moment ago it was bad, now I'm fucked. The Goo-Twins are circling around me but I'm already back on my feet. Bright side of being a loser: you learn to take a beating... or ten. I need to come up with a plan but I can't do it with this piles of goo breathing on my neck. I need time but I don't have any. Ah, Hell. When you don't know how to fight you might as well run away. That's something I can do well. I feint toward the corridor and, as soon as the Synthotwins move to intercept me, I twist on my left foot and leap in the opposite direction. HA! That was a move that would leave Mr. B mount hanging in disbelief.

Slamming the door in the face of those two on the way upstairs provide me a couple seconds of advantage. Hey! All I can get is good right now. They are behind me but I don't dare look back. I need to put all my focus in running. Can't let them catch me.

The next floor is looks pretty much like the one below and is just as empty. No place to hide. Nothing that I could use as a weapon. I need...an... idea... Bingo.

I turn around to face my pursuers, my back to the windows. Bending my legs a little I wait for the incoming attack. SynthoBro 1 jumps at me without breaking its stride, like it did before, showing just how limited is programming really is. When it flies over me I push up with my legs, adding my strenght to its own momentum. The window explodes sending sharp shards of glass into the night along with one unlucky bag of goo. I'd really like to enjoy the result of my efforts but SynthoBro 2 is just a few feet away and has learned the lesson. Pity. I was already growing fond of throwing Eric lookalike from the third floor.

With only the two of us remaining I can put a little fight back if needed, but the difference in abilities between us is still too big for me to overcome it. I might not need to though. My previous stunt provided me with the weapon I was looking for. The last SynthoBro (2) is coming closer with its fist in front of his face in what it looks like a boxer stance. Too bad I can't afford the luxury of assumption. Its kick pass just over my head thanks to my well honed reflex. Yeah right, it's more like it slipped on the wet floor. The windows which its brother sailed through is now open for the rain to come in. Prehaps I can use this to my advantage as well.

Without further ado the human shaped bag of goo attacks me with all it has. I dodge or deflect almost all of its blow and the few that I don't barely manage brush my shoulders or my legs. Sadly enough I can't find an opening in its guard and so the only thing I can do is giving it an opening in mine. The kick to the stomach would have sent me outside of the window if I wasn't waiting for it. Without giving it a chance to pull back I grab its ankle with the solid grip of a trained videogamer and twist myself around. Unable to break free and without a proper hold on the ground, courtesy of one trapped leg and the wet floor, the poor imitation of a human being can only follow me. My movement send it slamming face first in the shards left on the window, which pierces its fake skin like a hot knife would. The resulting spray of goo is a statement of victory. And with plenty of time to spare. I still have… ONLY FIVE MINUTES! SHIIIIT! Go! Go! Go!

I dash back to the stairs I came from. The control room is one floor above me and I have no idea who or what in going to find on the way there. Just like before there is little room for subtlety in a mad rush. Practically flying over the stairs I reach the last floor of this building. In front of me I find a straight corridor with an open door at the end of it. There in full sight Dr. D is speaking loudly like is talking to some kind of audience. It's not close enough for me to understand what he's saying. That and the fact that I don't really care, but from the smug look on his face he's probably rambling about his imminent victory. I'm so eager to prove him wrong. I have a job to finish and a few promises to uphold. No time for tactics.

Dashing forward I release the familiar shackle of my sanity. As I pass control to my Other Persona I can feel The Grin splitting my face along with a sense of euphoria washing over me. Party Time. I pull a move from the memories of another battle. Something I couldn't perform again without the newfound confidence on my insanity. Within a few meters from the door I crouch down, with the palms of my hands on the ground. Pushing with both my legs and arms I jump forward , twisting and spinning like a monkey in midair. When I fly into the control room I manage to catch some of The Smurf's words before my kick cuts his speech short along with his nose.

"… and the world will forever remember the name and bow before the mighty Doctor Drak*_CRAK_*!"

"BOOOYAAAAH! THE RONDO CAME TO PLAY!" I land in the room in full sight of twenty to thirty goons. Talk about being outnumbered. Party time is over. As quickly as he's gone Ron Stoppable gets in back in control. No more time for fun.

The goons snaps out fast enough from their schocked surprise. They get up from their chairs, ready to pound me into the ground. Behind them the wall sized screen is display different feed of the Diablo Project status. Pictures of New York, London, Moscow. Cairo. Everywhere the sky is clouded by Drakken's robot army. What catches my attention though is the little number in the left corner of the screen. 92 percent. I really don't need to question what that means.

In the half second I need to spot my target the goons closed most of the distance between us. To get to the grey colored box on the wall on the other side of the room I need to get through a good number of these guys. But I have the upper hand here. Victory isn't about taking down your enemies. Victory is about reaching your goals while preventing your enemies to reach theirs. But they don't know this. And that's why they think they've already won. Big mistake.

They move toward me with the cocky grin of someone who looking forward to beat a poor guy. Fuckers. I'm going to shred your confidence to pieces and then stomp on them.

When the first idiot tried to punch me I get under his fist and launch myself onto the guy behind him. Catching him unprepared I manage to elbow him into the stomach. The force of the blow makes him bend forward. Just what I wanted. Using him like a stool I step on his bent knee and then on his shoulder before jumping forward in a flip that would award me an unchallenged victory at the next Cheerleading Mascot Contest. My landing spot is on the face on an unlucky dude a few heads away from my starting position. With another jump I've left most of them behind me. Sadly enough these guys aren't stupid.

I soon as I land on the ground again I know this guys realized what's my target and what that implies.

Cries of "Get him!" and similars reach my ears but I don't look back. I know that they are just a few step behind me. If I stop they will tackle me into the ground and the match would be over. Not this time. This is the Homecoming game and I'm the star Quarterback just 10 yards from the last touchdown. I don't have time for plans. No room for strategies. I can only dive forward and bring this game home. And so I do the most stupid thing I've ever did in my life. That kind of thing you warn your children not to do. Don't put your fingers into a plug. Just a foot away from the box I spin on my right foot without braking my stride. With the strength of the added momentum I slam my left fist through the hard plastic cover and into the box up to my shoulder.

My stupid action is reward with a stream of pain through my whole body. My muscles tenses to the point that I can feel them ripping away from my bones. My arm is filled with so much pain that I didn't believe possible in a lifetime, much less in half second. Through all this I realize that my effort is not enough. Legion words where clear. I need to cut the frigging thing away from is place.

You know what's the difference between something stupid and something heroic?

It all depends if you reach your purpose or not. You fail: you are an idiot; you win: you are an hero.

It's all a matter of results. That's why I muster years of repressed rage. Abuses from my peers, beatings, humiliations, and Kim's words earlier this night turns my strangled yelp of pain turns into a full blown roar.

I'm Clint Eastwood on an adrenaline high with a loaded .44 Magnum and bullets to waste.

I'm a speeding plutonium-powered DeLorean bent on breaking all rules of time and space.

I'm a Terminator with the attitude of Rambo woken up with a post-drunk headache. On a Sunday.

I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm Darth Vader. I'm the Dark Emperor. I'm the Force itself.

I'm the toughest badass motherfucker this world has ever seen.

I'm Chuck-Fucking-Norris. With a grudge.

For a split second this universe's laws doesn't mean shit to me.

I. CAN. DO. ANYTHING.

Fate can go hang himself.

Destiny can go jump off a cliff.

Karma can go fuck its own sorry ass.

I'm about to make the difference between something stupid and something heroic.

I'm about to show any god, spirit, entity out there that I'm not to be trifled with.

And while I pull my blackened arm from the wall along with Drakken's switch I can't feel the pain. I can't smell the burnt flesh. I don't care if this is the last thing my arm will ever do. The only overwhelming feeling is the taste of Victory. Oddly enough it taste like blood. My own.

Turning back to my pursuers, that stopped dead in their tracks, I slam the switch on the ground at their feet. The huge screen is now displaying Drakken last failure. From all around the world the sky is free from the menace the filled it just a few moments before. The usual rain is now accompanied by hands sized toys falling everywhere. I stare to Drakken's goons ready to take them on, but there is no need for that. Whatever they see in my eyes is enough to make them take a step back when I step forward. My voice is a ragged low growl but loud enough for them to hear.

"Disappear." They don't need be to told twice.

"Uuuuhh… What happened? Where are you going? What about…" Dr. D is standing again holding is bleeding nose watching his people running for their lives. His eyes widen to the size of a saucer as soon as he lay sight on the monitors. "No! My perfect plan. Ruined. By the Buffoon of all people. No. No. No. This can't be over." He doesn't notice me walking to him until I'm close enough to hear me growling. I don't need to switch control. My Other Persona is right there with me. As soon as his attention snaps to me he see by himself why his lackeys were so fast on their feet, and just like them he take a couple of steps back.

"Deal with it, Dude. It's over.." There is really no amusement in my words. I'm waaay beyond pissed.

"Uh. You…. Why… How… You Buffoon. "

Too many question crosses his brain, too fast to ask one before another take place. That's fine with me. I'm so not in the mood to answer. I'm here to deal some punishment.

"You went too far this time Smurfie. You stepped on too many things. It's time to pay."

"Uh. You've gotta be kidding me. Wait. I beg of you… Uuuh.. the name escapes me."

"Say my name…."

"Oh Please."

"Say my name… SAY IT!"

"Uhh.. Aaah... It's Rooon… RON STOPPABLE! *_CRACK_*"

As soon as my name leaves his mount my fist connect with his jaw send him arching backward, teeth and blood flying everywhere.

"Booyah. And don't you forget it." These words are probably lost to him in the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. Doesn't matter. I'm sure he won't forget it anymore. He will remember it every time he looks at his crooked nose or counts his missing teeth in prison. I step outside of the room without sparing him another glance. Global Justice will be here any minute now. I leave him in their care. Take Over The World Scheme foiled. Mission Complete. Next stop: Middleton High School. There is a walking bag of slime that's waiting for payback.

* * *

Author note: YEAH! Chapter 8 is here, but the sitch is far from over. The next few chapter shouldn't take long. I had an epiphany the other night and the piece of the puzzle this story was fell together perfectly.

I'm in need of help from you dear readers. I need to know how the school system works in the US?. When do terms starts and finish? What holidays do I have to remember that might affect school schedule? At what hours do lesson stars and finish? Are there compulsory activities a student is forced to take? All this stuff is really hard to find on the web and it might slow me down. That or I might just make things up but I'm not too fond of the idea. But the thing I need to know the most his:

What is the date of the Prom?

How many days are from the prom and the beginning of the summer holidays?

How long do Holydays last (when does school starts again)

I need all of this for the next few chapters. I someone is willing to PM me with these quick info I would really appreciate.

Thanks in advance!

Note; This chapter is 3580 word long. Ah-Booyah for me.

Feel free to review and goodbye.


	12. Interlude  Red Truth

**INTERLUDE RED 2 – TRUTH

* * *

**

It's perfect. Everything's perfect. The music, the dance, Eric. I know it's silly since I've known him only for a few weeks but I really think I'm falling for him. I mean, what's there not to like? He's kind, polite, doesn't have a problem with my 'extracurricular activities' and it's hot, which never hurts.

Yet I have this feeling that something doesn't add up. Like something is escaping my notice. Like something really important is missing. That's why I can't relax completely and enjoy the evening?

"A penny for your thoughts Kim. What's wrong?" Eric's looking at me with a spark of concern in his eyes. We know each other for such a short time but he can already read me through. I smile in response.

"It's nothing really. I just can't shake over the feeling that I should notice something important. You know, it's like you leave in the morning and you have the feeling that you forgot something, but you can't tell what, no matter how hard you try to remember. I'm sorry, it's probably nothing."

"Don't worry. Just try to relax and enjoy the evening. I hope I'm not too bad as a dancer." his concern his touching. This man is really perfect. I never believed that a person like him could ever exist.

"You're a spankin' dancer, don't worry. And I'm really having fun. It's just that when I put my mind on something I can't shake it off till it's done." Just as I finish this sentence the slow tempo of a new song cut our conversation short.

"Hm. Let's see if I can get you mind off this mysterious thing. Dance with me Kim." His arms circle my waist gently as I lean my head on his shoulder. We dance slowly following the rhythm of the song. I can feel myself melt in his embrace. I could stay here forever. When I finally move and look at him, really stare in those deeps orbs my heart skips a beat. He gently raise an hand to cup my face. A sweet caring smile is illuminating his handsome face. The arm around my waist hold me a little tighter. God. He's going to do it. He's really going to kiss me. Leaning forward I part my lips a little with my eyelids half closed. His firm yet gentle hand pull my face closer to his and...

*SLAM*

The gym's door burst open. A panting figure is bent over his knees trying to catch his breath. It's Ron... Reager?

"*Anf*... Guys...*Anf* ...Outside..*Anf*...The sky...*Anf*... look...Possible *Anf*" And he runs back outside. What the hell? It's better be something important or I swear I'm going to show him sixteen style of kung-fu in the span of a minute. What's with Ron named guys and ruining my night?

Stepping outside my breath is cut short. I can't see the sky. I can't see it because if covered by an endless cloud of flying robots. Their familiar look takes a minute to find its place in my mind. But it cannot be. The Lil' Diablo? It can't be. But then Ron... No. Those toys? No. It's impossible. These things can't be those hand sized toys. How could they? And besides...

My musing is interrupted by a sudden scream. A couple of those things landed not too far away and are heading here. They are enormous.

"Quick everyone. Get back inside." I direct my schoolmates back inside the building hoping to give them some kind of shelter. We don't know their intention yet. What the hell is going on?

"Oy. It's on TV." Someone can be heard speaking among the crowd.

"Dude. We can see it live pretty well, y'know?" comes the smart answer of someone else.

"No. Not that. There's a guy talking about this"

"Quick turn on the projector in the gym." Another voice scream.

As everybody rushes back inside the only thing I can do is follow. Someone, the DJ maybe, turned on the big projection screen used in cultural events.

"… Currently reporting from New York. This thing are everywhere. We found shelter inside the metro. These things attacks everything they meet on the roads but aren't targeting the buildings. It's like their want to keep everybody confined in their house. I you can hear this, avoid the streets at all costs. The authorities are trying to fight back but those things, those Robots, seems to self-repair. There are been casualties but the numbers are still unknown. I repeat: stay inside your houses. Do not provoke them. Do not…"

The news switch to a different location

"… We did they come out form? Some people reported that the popular Lil' Diablo toys somehow grew into those thing. What's happening? Similar reports are coming from all over the world. Is this some kind of global invasion?..."

Suddenly the feed is lost and only statics are filling the screen. An eerie silence is fallen upon the presents. I can see people using their cells trying to contact their families. Somewhere in the back of the gym a girl is crying. I can only hear her talking about her parents and New York. But her words are so distant to me. All I can think about is Ron and his world earlier this evening.

_"Kim! The Diablos Toys are evil. It's Drakken. It's one of his plots."_

Oh God. He was right. He was telling the truth. And I brushed him away like he was nothing. How could I? Why haven't I looked into it even a little bit? Why did I say those things to him?

"_Grow up."_

"_Loser."_

No. It's not time to lose myself in a guilt trip. I need to stop this. I have to call Wade and… The kimmunicator. Ron took it. But I still have my cell phone. I reach for my purse only to find my way blocked by a mean looking… Tara?

"You! Why are you here? He came to warn you! Why didn't you believe him? Why didn't you go with him?"

I can't find the word. I don't have a reason. No, it's not that. I had a reason. Only it wasn't good enough. "I… I don't… I didn't know… It was so silly…" I wanted my perfect night. I wanted to be the princess at the ball with my prince.

"Bullshit! He told you! Fair and square! He asked for your trust. And you spit on it."

Tara? This person is front of me is the shy, soft spoken Tara? The world as I knew it is crumbling around me by the minute. Everyone attention is turned on us now. I can hear a few whisper and pointing at me. They are judging me. I slip around her and reach for my purse. This time a firm hand grasp my wrist. Eric?

"Eric. Let me go. I have to do something. I can't let things like this."

"Kim! It's pointless. Those things are everywhere. If you get outside they will attack. You heard the guy on TV. And beside do you even know where to go?"

He's right. But I have to try. I messed this up. I can't let this go.

"You're right Eric…" he smiles at that "…but I can't just let things like this. If Ron was right this is Drakken doing. I need to reach Wade and Ron and somehow put an end to this."

The smile on Eric's face faded away leaving a somehow sad look on his features.

"Please Kim. Don't go. It's safe here. I'm sure this thing will blow over. The authorities will take care of this and that Drakken guy. Please stay here. Stay with me. I love you, Kim. I don't want to lose you."

He let my wrist go in favor of hugging me. A sweet embrace that melts me to my very core. I'm so tempted to give in and let the world to save itself. But that's wouldn't be me. I can't deny reality now that's in front of me. I have to act. I can only hope that Eric will understand. I pull away from him and look in his eyes as I did before. The kiss takes me by surprise. But a pleasant surprise it is. I offer no resistance. I think I'm shivering a little. My heart is pounding in my ears.

When our lips break apart I'm sure there is a dazzled look in my eyes. Head in the game Kim. This is not the time for the mushy stuff, regardless of how pleasant they are. "Eric. Wow. I'm… happy. I think I love you too, but you know me. I have to do this. I have to try at least. I owe it to Ron. How am I going to look him in the eyes ever again if I just stand here doing nothing? I need to make up to him. I screwed up big time. I can't just pretend that it didn't happen and…"

Eric's look went to happy to enraged. His voice is not the same of a minute ago.

"So you chose him, uh? You chose the loser over me?" His cold words are nothing like the warm, sweet one he was whispering in my ears no longer than five minutes ago. What's happening?

"Eric. Please. It's not like that. It' not about choosing between you and him. He's my friend and not a loser in any sense." Hypocrite. Hypocrite. I called him that myself. I called him a loser. I did it. I did it. Me. Me. Me. The greatest friend of over twelve years.

Eric smile is nothing like the ones I saw before. It's similar to a snarl. What…?

"You called him that yourself. What? Now the situation turned on you, you run in his defense? Is this all you are? Regadless, I cannot let you interfere."

I'm about to ask what he means by that when a scream divert the attention of everyone from us to the screamer. There, just near the door five, no six Synthodrones have entered the gym. Are they here to stop me? I have to move or they might hurt some of the others. When I try to break free from Eric's embrace I find myself being hold tightly.

"Eric, let me go. Those are Drakken's Synthodrones. They might hurt someone. I have to fight."

Eric sweet smile turns into a wolfish grin. I can hear all my senses scream for danger

"Actually Kim, my friends over there know me as Synthodrone Nine-Oh-One."

Fear.

Disgust.

Betrayal.

The truth hits me like a brick wall during a landslide. The magnitude of my mistakes has just a second to sink in my brain, before the schocking feeling of electrocution claim my consciousness. The last thing my brain register before darkness engulfs me, is yet another scream.

* * *

When I wake up I'm bound by thick ropes. Not that they would be needed. My body is still trembling and twitching. That electroshock really did a number on me. I don't think I'm going to walk for some time.

"Oh good. Looks like the princess is awake. Good morning Kim."

I raise my head. All of my schoolmates are bound just like I am and sitting on the floor. Some of the girls are crying. I can see Bonnie and Tara trying to put a brave face but failing miserably. Just like me they don't know what's happening. In front of me Eric is standing, no longer in his dazzling suit but in the standard Synthodrones outfit.

"What's the meaning of this? What have you done to Eric? If you hurt him I swear…"

That thing laughter cover the sobs of the girls nearby and cut my threat short.

"Eric? Ah! Ahahahah! There is no Eric. Never was. It's always been me."

"What? But… But… Then…No." I can't accept this. No. Fake? Was everything fake from the get go? All those moments? Those feelings? These last months? No.

"Yes! It was all a script. Everything from our first encounter to this night as been carefully crafted. Do you really believe that's just a coincidence?"

"W-what are you talking about? Coincidence?"

He looks at me amused like he was watching a funny animal at the zoo.

"This..." it says opening its arms wide, as to indicate the whole situation "... everything. Me, The Diablos plan on the Prom night, even your argument with your loser friend. All planned. I was made with this sole purpose. To keep you busy. And busy I kept you, didn't I? Ah! But the masterpiece, the true masterpiece was breaking your friendship apart. Ah, the look on that loser face when you slapped him was priceless. You sure can get bitchy when you put yourself to it."

"N-n-n-no. It can't be. Then-t-then Ron"

"Was right all along. But Thanks to me you didn't consider him in the slightest. Took me quite some time though. To slowly take you have from him. To point how beneath you he is. How he is holding you back. What a loser he is. But in the end it worked out nicely. Step by step I stripped you of all your confidence, your friends and now your skills. Even if by some miracle you manage to free yoursef, the electroschock I've put you trough will make you dizzy for a couple of day at least."

"B-but why? Why Ron? Why did you do that to us?"

"Oh no. Don't try to blame me for that. It was all your doing. I haven't really pushed the two of you apart, just made sure that you knew I did not like him as your friend. In the end you made your choice and picked me, the newcomer, over him. And you did it because I looked better. I was the Hot one. Congratulation Kimberly: you finally joined the Food Chain Ideology. "

Right. It's right. It was all my doing. I pushed him away. Because it was the easy thing to do. Because in the end I'm not different from Bonnie. I gave in to the peer pressure. I submited myself to the food chain. I became everything I always despised and the world will pay the price of my folly. But my tears and my sobs are not for the world. They are for the precious friend I threw away for a pretty face. God! How shallow I've been. Will he ever smile at me again? Scratch that. Will he ever LOOK at me ever again? The cold eyes he showed me before leaving are haunting my memories.

_"Is that how it is, Kim? Is this how far your trust and our friendship goes? I see."_

Lost. I lost him.

"Yeah. Anyway we worked to keep you apart because we realized that without his support you weren't that much of a threat. Sure you are skilled and more than a decent figther, but the potential of your team did not steam from your skills alone rather from the blind support your lapdog provided for you. Sadly we knew that the more we tried to keep you away from each other the more we would only bring you closer. That's where I came in. We have to give the loser credit where it's due. His loyalty for you wasn't something we could overcome. We knew that we couldn't seduce him away. So we went after the weak link in the chain: you. And it worked spectacularly."

I can only cry. I don't care anymore. I don't care about the world. I don't care if my schoolmates can see the monster I really am. I don't care because he's gone. He won't come back. I'm the loser. Me. Not him. Never him. Never. Never. Never. God. No.

"Alas. Here come the end of this story. Watch. Father is about to talk to the world."

I raise my eyes to the screen and in a second the static is gone. The image of some kind of control room. Two rows of desk with computer on top and goons working at them. Behind them stands Drakken dressed in a mexican suit.

"... As you might know I'm Doctor Drakken. Right now my robotical army, as you can see by yourself, is being deployed all over the world. Every city, town, home had at least one of my soldiers disguised as an innocent toy. Their numbers is in the millions. They cannot be stopped. For the safety of your family and loved ones I demand from the goverment of the nations of the world UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER. Rersistance is futile. Opposition will be answered with lethal strength. Wipe from your mind the idea of trying to lure me into a trap or any assassination attempt later on. Within one minute my army will be completely independent and will answer only to me. Should anything happen to me, the retaliation will be catastrophical and unstoppable. A new era is about to begin. MY ERA. You have no choice. There is no way out. No hero can save you this time. From now on I'm in control and everybody will remember the name and bow before the might Doctor Drak*CRACK*!

"BOOOOYAAAH! THE RONDO CAME TO PLAY!"

Suddenly the transmission is filled by a familiar voice and figure. A spinning flying kick to Drakken's nose cut his tirade short. Many audible gasp of recognition echoes in the gym. It's Ron. He's there. He went alone? But what can he do? There are so many of Drakken's men and not enough time. The goons are already closing on him. Watch out! What?

On the screen I watch Ron ducking under the fist of the closest goon only to jump to the one behind. With a quick strike in his stomach the man is left bending over breathless. Taking advantage of ths guy position, Ron steps on his knee and shoulder to launch himself in the air with a grace I never knew he possessed. Landing on the face of yet another guy he flips in the air once more and finally lands behind the crowd that was surrounding him. I don't know what he's up to but Drakken goons seems pretty scared of what's going on. He dashes forward with the others right behind. Cries of "Get him" and "Don't let him get there." fill the place. Ron is definitely onto something but… WHAT?

Spinning on his foot Ron slam his left fist into a box affixed to the wall. The following scream breaks my heart apart.

"YAAAAARRRRRR…."

Visible arcs of electricity run from the box to him. His body tense under the power running through it. I can only stare as his arm is set aflame by the high tension. Behind me our schoolmates are holding their breath. On the screen the goons stopped in their tracks. They can't touch him while he is …. WHAT?

"…RRRRAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Ron's yelp turns into a raging roar. Disregarding the fact that is body shouldn't be responding him at all he plants his feet on the ground. If possible he tense the muscle in his arm even more and pulls back. My God. His arm comes out of the wall looking like black coal. The pain must be unbearable. How can he even be standing like that?

In his hand he's holding something. Some kind of device that he slam at the goons feet before addressing them. His eyes are cold and unforgiving much like the moment he left from here. His voice seems to come from a distant Hell.

"Disappear..."

They do just that without looking back.

"Uuuuhh… What happened? Where are you going? What about…" Drakken is back on his feet. His face is a mask of blood. With an hand he's holding his nose. He looks at something that we can't see and his eye seems to winden enough to pop out of his face "No! My perfect plan. Ruined. By the Buffoon of all people. No. No. No. This can't be over." Dr. D doesn't seem to notice Ron getting closer until he hear him speak.

"Deal with it dude. It's over." A the sound of his voice Drakken turns so fast that we heard his neck snap.

"Uh. You…. Why… How… You Buffoon. " Wrong thing to say. The person on the screen isn't the guy we all knew. There is strength and coldness in him. Things I wouldn't believe possible if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes. I wonder how much of that is my own doing.

"You went too far this time Smurfie. You stepped on too many things. It's time to pay." There is no room for forgiveness in his voice.

"Uh. You've gotta be kidding me. Wait. I beg of you… Uuuh.. the name escapes me."

"Say my name…."

"Oh Please."

"Say my name… SAY IT!"

"Uhh.. Aaah... It's Rooon… RON STOPPABLE! *_CRACK_*"

Ron's fist connects with Drakken jaw sending him flying backward. I hardly believe that he still has a tooth in his mount.

"Booyah. And don't you forget it." And with those last words he steps outside of the room and out of view.

"WHAT THE HELL?" We are shocked out from our reverie by Eri.. Synthodrone 901 equally schocked scream. He/It runs to the doors and open them wide. The robotical army that was threatening the world, shrinked back to the size of toys, is falling from the sky. There goes Drakken carefully crafted plan. Foiled by the guy everyone looked down upon.

"Whoa. Stoppable Shoots and Scores." Brick loud and simple statement expressed the thought of the whole school and maybe the world.

"Stoppable! Stoppable! Stoppable! Stoppable!" Voice after voice all the presents start cheering Ron's name.

"Way to go Ron!" Tara?

"That's was cool beyond word." Josh?

"Cheese and crackers! He did grew a spine after all. Nice job soldier." Barkin?

We can all see it now. We can all see what Ron really is made of. No one will ever deny what he accomplished today. Not only Drakken but the whole world will not forget his name this time.

"You thinks it's over? This is not over! Not by a long shot."

Everyone's attention is called back to Unit 901 who walking menacingly back into the gym. "You aren't safe yet. You are my hostages now. If GJ cares about your lives they will deal with me. I'll bail Father out and then we'll try again. That's right! This night has just begun."

* * *

Author Note: Longest chapter ever. This one was really hard to come up with. I rewrote it a couple a time. I hope you like it.

Do you like the way the sitch is progressing. Did I manage to make Kim sense of guilt real enough. Let me know so that I can improve.

PS: Thanks for all the info you've sent me. They will really be useful in the near future.

Keep reading.

Bye.


	13. Luck

**Chapter 9 – Luck

* * *

**

Damn I'm tired. My whole body hurts. I want a Naco. I want to sleep. And I want to kick that Synthoass to the moon. Let's set some priorities. Kick, eat, and sleep. Sounds like a plan. Who's in?/Me-me-me/. All right then, with unanimous vote kicking Eric's ass take precedence over slumping against the wall unconscious. Tempting.

The adrenaline rush is fading quickly and the pain is taking over just as fast. Fuck. Listen to your mom kids. Toying with electricity hurts like a bitch.

Holding my crisped arm I make my way back to the stairs. I need to keep moving. If I stop I won't get up again. Ugh. I feel like puking. My arm smell like an overcooked meatloaf. I'm dizzy. Walking straight is a challenge. Gha! I fall on the floor barely keeping me up with my good arm and a knee. I take a couple of deep breaths. Right. Breath in, Breath out. Slowly. Now pull yourself up. That's right, support yourself against the wall. There you go. Back on your feet. What a good boy. With my back resting against the wall I reach my forehead with one hand (guess which). I'm running a fever. What a surprise. These burns must be at third degree. People die in condition like this. Do I really want to ride a bike back to Middleton and face pretty-boy?

...

Yeah. I really want to. Fuck it. I went too far to stop now. I'm not going to let him get away with it. I gave one arm for this. Like hell I'm going to back off now.

**"... me..."**

Huh? That voice again. I'm sure I've heard someone talking. I'm I hearing things now? Way to go Ron. You can add this to your never ending list of oddities. I'm hallucinating. If I survive this I'm getting a room in a mental institution. I just hope they serve Mexican food in there. Oh. The Kimmunicator is vibrating again.

"S'up Wade?" I try to put on a brave face for my little friend on the screen.

"Ron! You ok? Damn! That stunt you pulled was epic."

"Stunt? What are you talking about? How do you know what I've done? I thought Drakken security system was cut off from the outside." Does this guy have eyes everywhere? Wade looks at me like I grew a second head.

"You mean you didn't know? Ron, when you flattened Drakken's nose he was ranting live on global vision. I don't think there is a single soul in a 100 meters radius from a TV that didn't see that show." Huh. That was unexpected. So I'm famous now? Well then... nothing. I don't give a fuck. I make sure to let Wade know about it.

"Oh well. I really don't care right now. Changing subject... is GJ on the way? I'm getting back to Middleton but I don't feel comfortable in letting Dr. D here alone. Not that he's going to walk away on his legs anytime soon, but still..." Wade is looking at me as if to make sure he's really talking to Ron Stoppable. I wonder what he would think if I were to tell him that I'm making myself the same question lately.

"Ok Ron. I really have to ask this. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? You are not going anywhere your conditions. You're going to sit down and wait for an ambulance. Let GJ handle this sitch now and rest..."

Ok. I appreciate the concern but I'm not going to let a ten year old act like my mother would.

"Wade... Wade... WADE! I appreciate your concern but I'm not in the mood to be told what to do, so shut up and listen for a change." That got his attention, and once again he looks at me as if he never saw me before. "Good. Now I'm going to take Vivian's bike and get back to the Prom. If Eric saw my 'performance', there is no telling what he might do. Kim doesn't know what he is. If things go wrong someone might get hurt and I'm not talking only about Kimberly." My words seem to make him think. Looks like the little genius didn't put all the variables into his equation.

"Yeah. You're right I guess. But what about Global Just..."

"Wade! Fuck it kiddo! Are you listening to yourself? GJ hands are already full as it is. What am I going to tell them? That the 'Girl-who-can-do-anything' has to be rescued from her boyfriend? The very same person who usually does the jobs they should take care of? There are plenty of people out there that need more help than Kim ever would. And that's exactly what they would tell me. This has to be done now Wade, and there is no one else up for the job. I'm open for suggestion though, please do share." My little tirade shut down all objections Wade could come up with. I know that he's almost convinced that I'm a Synthodrone in disguise too. Not that I can blame him. I'm pretty much blowing everyone's opinion about me, and that includes my own as well.

"Uuuhhh... Yeah. That makes sense. Wow Ron. What the Hell happened to you tonight?"

"To tell you the truth Wade, I'm not sure myself. But I'll keep you up-to-date."

"Yeah. You do that. Ron... just don't overdo it, ok?"

This is my turn to look at him with my best 'Duh!' expression. "Wade, dude, I've been overdoing all night long. Might as well keep this pace up." That earns me a chuckle.

"Right. Well don't get yourself killed then, you've got it?" I take a deep breath before answering.

"I'm not sure I can promise you that Wade. I'll do my best tough." his answer is preceded by a long sigh

"I guess that's the best I can ask for. Go get him Ron. Make sure you kick his ass into next year."

"Wade, my friend, that's a given. I'll make sure to add your regards as well. Ron's out."

I slip the Kimmunicator back inside my pocket. Let's move. I stand back on my feet without the comfortable support of the wall when...

**"...here... "**

Not that voice again. Shut it. I don't have time to listen. I've got to keep moving.

**"...eld m..."**

I've told you to shut it.

**"..m...re..."**

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

**"..."**

There, that's better. It wasn't too difficult, was it? Now. Where were we? Oh right. Take bike, get to Middleton, kick ass. A nice and carefully laid out plan. Me like. Let's go.

Feeling a little more stable on my feet I manage to run back to the stairs when my way is blocked by an all too familiar green jumpsuit. Did I say Fuck already? No? Well FUCK! We stare at each other for a second before we both jump back. She didn't expect me to be here. She is surprised and scared as well.

"You! Buff.. Stoppable? You're Stoppable, right? What have you done? What happened to your arm?" She seems to think a little. "What have you done to Dr. D? If you hurt him I'm going to..."

"What? What are you going to do, uh? Looks like that lesson before was not enough after all." I let 'The Grin' claim my face again. We don't exactly switch control but 'The Jester' is now here alongside 'The Buffoon'. She takes a couple of steps back and raises her hands, palms open in a placating manner.

"No! Wait! I-I don't want to fight. I just want to get the hell outta here. Things have gone pear shaped as usual. Let me fetch the blue guy and I'll be on my way, all right?" Eh. That sounds like a decent proposal. Yeah, LIKE HELL!

"No way Shego. The smurf is mine and he isn't going anywhere but a cold concrete cell. Where he's going to stay I might add. So listen up and listen well, leave this place and don't look back. I'm not going to stop you. I'm not even going to stop you from taking Drakken, but if you do that I'll come after you and this time the fishes are not going to miss their meal. Got it?" With that out of my system I step forward. She almost jumps away when I get to her. Still holding my wounded arm I get behind her without looking back. The familiar sounds of her power igniting reaches my ears. I stop but don't look back. "Careful there Shego. What you are about to do is going to heavily affect your future, or the lack of it." After a tense moment she turns her power down. I resume my walk without paying her any more attention.

After I've taken a few steps down the stairs I look up. She's there, looking down at me. I don't understand that look in her eyes. There is fear and scorn and something else in that look. Admiration, respect? I can't tell. I never really understood girls. She breaks the contact first and she takes the stairs to the roof, alone. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that she has some kind of escape route up there. Without further ado I walk down to the ground floor.

When I finally reach the lobby again I find Vivian waiting for me with her bike. She removed her helmet and her lovely gold blonde hairs are now resting on her shoulder. Her tight black suit is hugging her curves like… well like I'd love to do myself. It takes a strong effort not to check her out (again), especially because it wouldn't be respectful to her concerned look. She runs to me looking like someone kicked her puppy. That just makes me want to hug her more.

"Ron are you… My God. Your arm… Ugh. What happened?" her hand reach her mouth in a gesture that's both of disgust and worry.

"Eh. Long story short: I unplugged Drakken whole system barehanded. Don't look at me like that. I had neither the time nor the chance to come up with a better plan. I don't like it but there's no helping it." She looks taken aback at my reaction. Honestly, tonight I'm blowing people's opinion about me to the moon.

"Uh. Yeah ok. I talked with Wade a moment ago. He told me you would need a ride back to Middleton and not to argue with you about your condition. I understand what he meant by that now. Here take this." She gives me a blister of pills. "Painkillers. I can tell you might use them now." Bless this girl.

"Got that right." I greedily swallow a couple of them. Please work quickly.

"So, how are you holding up? Can you move your arm?" It seems that she's already over her disgust.

"Nope. Not in the slightest. I don't feel it at all. I'm no doctor but I don't think that I'm going to move it again anytime soon." If ever I might add but I don't feel like sharing that opinion with her.

"I see. You should really receive some medical attention, you know?" I raise an eyebrow at her like she made a stupid question. I don't tell her that. I know that she's just concerned about me.

"Yeah. You're right but we really don't have time for it. Listen. I need another favor from you." She simply nods in acceptance. Good. "I need to borrow your bike while you wait here for GJ." She doesn't nod this time. Not good.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" I'm getting that a lot lately, lady. And the answer would be yes. " YOU ARE NOT IN CONDITION TO STAND MUCH LESS RIDE A BIKE!" Not in the mood for a shouting match. They painkillers are doing their job but my head is pounding.

"Keep it down! My head is killing me. You think I don't know? Believe me I'm very well aware of my condition but I don't have the luxury to sit back and rest. Please Vivian. My schoolmates are in danger. I have to do this." She's looking at me clearly enraged.

"It's about Kimberly isn't it?" There's hatred in her words. I didn't expect that. "Why do you care? She didn't come here with you. She didn't get injured for you." She has a point here.

Why? Why am I still standing? For whom? For the guys that made fun of me at every chance given? For a friend who didn't hesitate to turn her beck on me? Why do I care? Is it because I'm a 'good guy'? Is that why I'm here? No. It's wrong. It's not for them, for HER of the world. It's for me. It's what I want to do. I want to go there and smack the pretty face on the floor. I want to go there and show them that I'm 'the big dog'. I want to show Kim exactly what she gave up to and for what. That's right. This is all for me. This is my war. And I'm not letting someone else fight it for me.

"…**I'm he…"**

Not again. I ignore the voice and answer to Vivian. "It's not about Kim, Vivian. It's about me. It's something I need to do for myself. Even if I get injured in the process." Even if I die in the process. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't know what I'm becoming. All I know is that I'm going to fight.

"…**eld me…"**

"I see. There's nothing I can say or do that will hold you back, right?" I nod. "Guessed so. You men are all like this. Always stepping forward without looking back. Fine. Here take this." She hands me her helmet before unzipping her suit. Whoa. Divert all resources to control the drooling. She hands me her suit top remaining only in a black (rain wet) shirt. It takes all my focus to keep watching her in the eyes. Luckily she seems not to notice this.

"Put it on." I do as she says and as soon as I zip the suit it resize to fit me perfectly. Cool. "It's a type of cloth of my invention. It resize on the user correct fit. It has an embedded shock-absorption feature. If you keep the helmet on you should survive a car accident. Try not to get in one though. I am like to keep Olly in her current shape."

Shock-absorption? Like an armor? Hm. It might get useful in a fight.

"Forget it." Vivian seems to read my mind and quickly crushes my idea. "It's not made to stop that type of shock so don't count on it to take blows for you. I would have given it to you earlier otherwise." D'oh!

"Make sense. Too bad, it might have been useful. Well I take all the help I can get. Thank you." She shows me a genuine smile. Before turning it into a wicked smirk.

"Well if you don't mind I'm going to keep the pants. It doesn't seem proper to greet a battalion of GJ troops clad only in my underwear, won't you agree?"

Actually lady, I'm all in favor of getting you out of your clothes. But I refrain to tell her that. Might ruin the flirty mood. /Flirty?/Yeah Flirty. Odd./

She walks to the bike and place a hand onto it. "Olly. I'm switching all controls to Ron Stoppable for the time being. Protocol Bravo-Oh-Nine-Eleven. Authorization code: V1V14N."

"ACKNOWLEDGED! REQUEST GRANTED. RON STOPPABLE IS NOW LOGGED IN." The robotical voice answers Vivian's request.

"There. Please treat her well. And take care of yourself as well."

I reach the bike and mount on it. I'm about to put the helmet on when Vivian's hands stop me. I'm about to inquire what's wrong but all questions are cut by soft, warm lips placed on my own. All pretence of rational thought are flying out of the window. The sole reason my mouth isn't hanging is because Vivian's lips are holding mine firmly closed. I manage to muster enough blood back to my brain so that when our lips part I can get something out more elaborated than 'Ugha?'

"What was that for?" I ask her smiling with genuine curiosity. She smiles me back and answer without the slightest sign of embarrassment.

"For good luck." Her answer is simple and doesn't leave room for misunderstandings. Ah well. I reach out to and pull her to me. Our lips meet again. This time she's the one being surprised. When we pull apart she's the one asking the question.

"And what was THAT for?" I shrug and give her my trademark lopsided smile.

"Hey! I need all the luck I can get." With that said I finally put the helmet on and get the bike running. Vivian walks around and helps me put my hand on the bike. This girl is an angel.

"Here Ollly's AI will make all those things your left hand can't do. Just make sure to shift your weight on the bike accordingly. Got it?" I nod in answer. Good I'm all set. I'm about to take off when Vivian stops me once more. "Ron..." she's looking into my eyes, or where they should be since she can't see behind the black helmet. "You're a good guy, Ron. Please make so that this isn't the last time we see each other." I stare into those blue eyes of her for a moment before answering.

"I won't make promises I'm not sure I can keep, Vivian." She's saddened by my response. But I couldn't bring myself to lie to her.

"Yeah. Thanks for being honest, I guess. Take care."

"I will. This much I can promise. Goodbye Vivian."

"Bye Ron." And without further words I leave her behind. Her blue eyes still warm in my memory. Middleton High here I come. Let's get this party started.

* * *

Author Note: I'm on a roll! A new Chapter in little more than 24 hours from the last posting? Can I be any more awesome? (Patting myself on my shoulder). How do you like this chapter? Can you guess what's happening to Ron? Many thing can happen in just a few floors right? I hope I made Ron and Vivian interaction realistic enough. Do you like the idea of 'The Buffoon' Ron as opposed to 'The Jester' Zorpox? Since they are both Ron I liked more the idea of naming the over their personality, rather than an alias he took while under the influence of Drakken idiocy. Let me know what you think of it.

Uh! and coming next will either be

Interlude - Brown 1 - Loser

or

Interlude - Red 3 - Loser

Depending on which POV of course. Can you guess who's 'Brown'? Answer me in the reviews.

Goodbye.


	14. Interlude  Brown Loser

**Interlude - Brown 1 – Loser

* * *

**

This tanks. And it's all K's fault. Can't she get a decent boyfriend? No, it has to be a complete loser or a Synthowhatever. And here I am tied up like a Fed-Ex package ready to be shipped in some god-forsaken place. Thanks for the wonderful night, K. Please remember me to invite you at my birthday, K. Kim Possible. The girl who can do anything. Even screwing up the Prom Night. My night. Oh, and did I forget to mention that some blue skinned freak, one of K's entourage by the way, was about to conquer the world? Can this night get any better? Oh yes. Yes it can. We are now hostages of K's former boyfriend and his merry group of friends. Peachy.

On the bright side, the Loser finally managed to make himself useful by smashing the Smurf dreams of domination. Eh. That was pretty cool even by my standards. I will not admit that to anyone, even if my life depends on it, but it was cool. I have to say that he's resourceful when he needs. I find myself wondering how many of K's exploit were successful only thanks to him. Not that I really care about her success. I care about her failures. The one time she screws up she has to drag the whole school into this fiasco. Argh! She pisses me off. For years I've been dreaming to see her fall from grace, and when it finally happens we go down with her. Granted, Karma's a bitch, but this is overkill. Can't that girl even screw up without screwing up? Wait! Ow! Brain pain. This can't be, she gets under my skin even by failing. Argh! Let's just forget about her. She's not worth it anymore. I mean, look at her. She's a wreck. I might pity her, and I stress 'might', if she didn't bring this upon herself. I've always been the Queen Bitch and I haven't made it a secret either, but her... Ah! She always acted all goody-goody but under that holier-than-thou attitude she's one mean bitch as well. Hypocrite.

Well she wasn't the only one hiding something from us. Isn't that right Stoppable? Who would ever bet on that spineless worm stepping up like that? Not me that's for sure. I keep wondering just how much of you was being overshadowed by K's domineering persona. It took her to discard you like trash to show us what are you made of? You really are a loser. All that potential wasted in being K's lapdog. Tsk. Tsk. You've brought this upon yourself too. If you don't stand up for yourself everybody will step on you. I can spare a little hope that you've finally learned something, but it's said that only death can heal idiocy. Let's see if you can prove us wrong once more, hm?

I'd like to mind my own business and leave this horrid night behind me but hostages usually don't have such luck. Sadly there is another 'person' trapped into idiocy. That Eric thing has been trying to contact Global Justice, or whoever runs the 'Good Guys Associated', with little success for almost an hour. Dork. With a crisis like this the first things to fail are the communications. Too many calls for help at the same time will crash the systems. It's called Denial of Service and... What? For your info, despite what anyone might think, I'm not an empty headed cheerleader stereotype. It's only that you can't get on top flaunting your brain. That's the nerds tactic and we all know how it worked so far.

I would find the idea of a 'World Ruler Wannabe' struggling against the after effects of his own plot highly amusing, if not for the fact that we are going to spend even more time here because of it. That and the fact that he's (it's?) getting more nervous by the minute. And that's never a good thing. He (It? Oh Fuck it.) He has been pacing back and forth while trying to call the authorities. That was the third cell phone he crushed under his feet. Luckily if we can keep our cool as we did until now, and if we don't attract his attention he probably won't harm us. But I forget Karma too quickly and that's when things goes pear shaped.

"DAMN IT! * CRASH*" There goes the fourth cell phone. "Incompetent little buggers! They don't even have a working phone line. No wonder they need a teenage cheerleader to do their jobs."

"Snrrk.. Hi hi hi hi." No. Oh no. Who's the smartass that thought laughing was a good idea?

"Who laughed?" He screams while turning around "I'm not in the mood for games. What's so funny, uh?" No answer. "I ASKED WHO LAUGHED. COME OUT." When nobody answer I sigh in relief. Things will simply blow over when…

"Pfft.. Ah!.. AH! AHAHAHAHAH! Oh God. Ahahahah!" No way! Tara? What the hell are you doing?

Eric storms to her with barely contained fury. She looks down at her who's sitting on the floor. She's shaking in suppressed laughter. She tries hard not to look up at him.

"Well. Looks like Tara here found something funny in our difficult situation. Care to share the amusement? Tell us, Tara. What do you find so funny in this situation?" Please don't answer. Please don't answer. Please don't answer. Just shake your head and keep your stare down.

…

No such luck.

Her head snaps up to meet his gaze for a long silent second before…

"Ah ah ah ah ah!" she seem unable to keep her laughter when she looks at him in the eyes. What's gotten into you Tara? This is no laughing matter. Please shut up.

Too late. Eric seems unable to restrain himself anymore. He picks her up grabbing her left arm, raising her to eye level. No. This is going to be a disaster. Tara the next thing out of your mind must be an apology. Apologize to him. It's your only way out.

"What's so funny Tara? What makes you laugh so much in a situation like this? Do you find being taken hostage amusing?" She shakes her head in answer while trying to catch her breath.

"*Anf* No. Not at all. *Anf* Ah ah! You're the one who makes me laugh." No. No. No! Tara! Wrong thing to say.

*SLAP*

He hits her across the face with the back of his hand. The sound echoes through the whole gym. Motherfucker! I'll have your balls for that. I'm about to stand up and jump at him even with my hands tied up behind my back when…

"Pfft… Ah ah ah ah" Tara crystalline laughter breaks the silence. Has she lost it? What..

"WHAT'S MAKING YOU LAUGH SO MUCH? SPEAK!" Her behavior is a mystery to him as much as it is to me. She finally masters her laughter to answer him.

"You. You're too much fun. Have you taken a look at yourself? Hostages here, demands there. Oh and don't we forget the whole 'Conquer the World' fiasco. All this while you don't even manage to get a call through. How pathetic can you be? And I'm not supposed to find this all funny? And you had the guts to call Ron a loser? Have you looked into a mirror lately?"

What.

The.

Fuck?

This is not like Tara at all. First she almost bites K's head off, and now she laughs in the face of this freak? Have the drinks been spiked? Even Eric doesn't understand. His rage is kept in check by his confusion. He finally seems capable to speak again. An evil grin split is face in two. Something bad is coming. The whole gym can feel it.

"Oooh! I see. So you think I'm not doing things properly? Maybe you're right. I should get down to something more practical. Let's see… Hm. I think I have an idea. Tell me what you think about it. Me and my friends here will slap that cute face of yours until you can be recognized only by your dental impression and then throw you bare naked in front of the first police station with a message strapped to your head. That should get their attention won't you agree?"

No! I won't accept this. Tara! Not Tara! Everyone but my Tara!

"No! Take me instead. Don't touch her! Take me!" I stand up and scream. They are all looking at me. Even K is surprised by this turn of events. But I don't care. I don't care about appearances at all. Not when it comes to Tara. I'm not going to lose one of the few persons I really care about. Not if I can help it. My bravado though isn't rewarded.

"How cute. And how surprising. Bonnie. Who would have thought? The Ice Queen of Middleton High standing up for her dear friends? How touching." I see Tara still held by Eric looking at me a little surprised but happy as well. A sweet little smile adorns her face as if to tell me that everything is going to be ok. Oh Tara.

"Ah well. I can use both of you. It's not like I'm lacking hostages and I think that sending both will really get the message through."

No. Things are even worse now. How can I stop this? Can I stop this? Tara seems to hold the answer.

"Not happening."

What? Where does her confidence comes from? How can she be so sure?

"What do you mean? You think you can stop me? You think someone will save you? No one even realized you're in danger yet." Eric tells the truth. We can't do a thing. And those who could do something are not even aware we need help. It's hopeless.

"He's coming you know? Ron, I mean." Tara's angelic voice speaks of this as if it's the most obvious thing. Oh Tara. Not even your shining knight can save us this time.

"Pffft… Ok. I've got it. You've lost it. Listen up Bimbo. The loser isn't coming here. He has no reason to. He doesn't even know about all this. And even if he knew he wouldn't come. He's wounded. He probably fainted as soon as he stepped outside of that door and hasn't moved since." He's right. There is no reason or way Ron could get here to help. And even if he did what could he do alone? Fighting these guys is not like that stunt he pulled there, regardless of how cool it was. It's about skills not guts. But Eric hasn't finished twisting the knife into the wound. "But I will amuse you. Let's pretend that all this isn't true. Why would he come here? For you? You that never stood up for him even though you have a crush on him? Yes we all knew about it, Tara. Or perhaps he will run here for the girl who mercilessly slapped him trashing years of friendship?" At this K's sobs found new strength. "Or maybe for all these guys here who looked down on him, bullied him, and made fun of him at any given chance? No, silly little Tara. He won't come. He neither has the strength nor the will to. And that's why he's a loser."

He's right. No one in their right mind will jump in this situation of his own volition, given those circumstances. Tara, your dream will never be nothing but that.

"Regardless. He will come. He will save us." Her stubbornness is bordering the fanatism. What have you seen in him that we didn't, Tara? Her remark finally drives him over the edge. His fist raise ready to keep his promise of pain. He's about to strike when his attention is diverted to the doors.

*…vvvvVVVVRRRRROOOOO*SLAM*OOOOO*CRASH*SKREEEEeeech*

The gym's door are burst open by a speeding, sleek black, roaring motorcycle. Standing on the back wheel the bike slams the spinning front tire on Eric's face, sending him crashing on one of the tables of refreshment. All this while the equally black clad rider sizes with his right arm the fragile figure of Tara, away from the Synthothing grasp. What the hell is happening tonight? Who's this guy? This is the question obviously in everyone's mind.

He bring his bike back to horizontal position and gently drop Tara to the ground.

Through all this ordeal she hasn't been scared in the slightest, but now she's positively beaming. She looks like the cat who ate the canary. Wha.. Could it be?

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Eric gives voice to the collective question, raising unfazed for table's wreckage.

Without a care in the world, and without paying him any attention, the rider dismount his bike. He whisper something to Tara who simply nods smiling.

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION, FUCKER!" This time the rider turns to face Eric standing carefully a few feet away.

"Huh? That hurts. Right here." The rider taps his chest twice with his thumb right over his heart. No way. That voice muffled by the full helmet is unmistakable. It can get under my skin with only two syllable. "Aww. Come on. I've been gone for three hours, tops, and you forgot about me already? That's a whole new level of cruel." Whispers of 'For real?' and 'No way.' echoes through the gym.

It can't be. This level of coolness doesn't belong with you.

The rider reaches for the helmet with his right hand and pulls it off in one smooth move. Familiar blonde hairs and chocolate brown eyes are left in its place.

"That's right maggots!" his words oozes confidence.

I forgot that you never were one of those in their right mind. Never be normal has always been your motto, right?

Relief washes over me. I can't hold back the tears anymore. You really came.

He points his thumb to his shit-grinning face.

"RON! STOPPABLE! IS IN THE HOUSE!"

*Sniff* You LOSER!

* * *

Author notes: Way to go Ron. I've been twitching to write this one since I came up with this story.

So how do you like this chapter? No worries Next Chapter will be about his way back to Middleton. It should be a little shorter than the last one, and thereof released quickly (as if I haven't been working quickly up until now).

Give me, give me. I need your opinions.

What do you think of Tara? I know she's a bit (more like waaay) Out of Character, as somebody pointed me out, but she will have a place in this story (pairing or not pairing I'm not going to tell) and I had to adjust her to her coming role.

What about Bonnie, our POV for this chapter? I tried to keep to her original snarky attitude while giving her some redeeming feature. Her affection for Tara, friendship or more, is deep enough to make her stand up for her in spite of a potential painful end.

Is the chapter clear? I'm switching from second to third person back and forth in Bonnie's mindtalk since she both narrating (talking in her mind to others and the readers) and talking to herself. It may be confusing although I find it pretty clear (Well Duh! I'm writing this). Please let me know about this. I need to know if I can use this style later on, or if I need to rewrite this chapter as well. Always waiting for your support. Which never lacked so far I should add. Thank you all for that.

Goodbye and keep reading.


	15. Badical

**Chapter 10 – Badical**

* * *

This is awesome. This bike I mean. Why is that? Because she doesn't need me. She's doing everything by herself. And yes I'm referring to her as a girl. Mind it, she's named Olly. There must be a reason for that. We are travelling at the awesome speed of 160Mph and I'm barely keeping myself on her. Thank God the road is wide and straight. The lack of traffic is also playing a big part in the safety of this trip. The police is way to busy to mind a pirate like me travelling way over the limits. Lucky me I guess.

Without much to do but holding thight on the bike I let my mind run back to everything that happened tonight. Far too many things are changing at the same time. The most outstanding example being me.

What the hell is happening to me? I never used to be this reckelss. This daring. I'm pissed off, all right, but is it enough to change a coward all of a sudden in an hero? Nah. I'm no hero. I didn't go there for the worlds' sake. I went there for myself. Because I wanted to kick the Smurf ass. I wanted to go even without her. No. I wanted to go in spite of her. But why? I have no idea. It wasn't to show off. It wasn't to rub it in her face. This wounds aren't to prove something or to make someone feel guilty.

And what about him? The Jester. Only now I understand that he's always been there. That thing, Zorpox, he was based mostly on the Jester side of me. We are one. There is no use denying it. Is it all because of him? Because he finally came out? And why didn't come out before? Was something holding him back? And if that's the case what was that thing?

Far too many question and no answer in sight. Prehaps I will never know why but it doesn't bother me. For the first time in my life I'm sure about something. For the first time fear isn't holding my heart, coditioning my actions. I'm free. I can think clearly. It's like my mind has been kept into a thick fog up until now. Even through the pain my mind is sharper than ever before. It feels like I'm on drugs. Oh wait. I am.

I don't know what's waiting fo me there but I have to go. Something, someone, is calling me. I need to go there. I need to..

**"... here..."**

Ugh! That voice again. I can't understand what it's trying to tell me. It's like somebody's talking through water. Who the hell are you? Another me?/No. It can't be./Can you understand what it's saying?/ I can do what you can do. So no. Please remember that we are one and the same./Two sides of the same coin./Indeed./Then what?

**"...all..."**

There we go again. What's the meaning of this?

"USER STOPPABLE. IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?" Olly artificial voice is talking through the helmet. "YOUR BRAIN WAVES ARE IN DISARRAY. ARE YOU IN NEED OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE?"

"Huh. Yes I think I do but it's not our top priority right now."

"SAFETY OF THE USER IS THIS UNIT FIRST PRIORITY. THIS UNIT SUGGESTS TO RE-ROUTE TO THE NEAREST MEDICAL FACILITY. AWAITING ORDER TO PROCEED." What? Is this Nurse Day and nobody told me? Even a bike want me to go see a doctor?

"No Olly. As I said, it's not a priority. Keep going."

"ACKNOWLEDGED. THIS UNIT STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF USER HEALTH. PLEASE CONTACT A MEDICAL PERSONNEL ASAP."

"Fine! Fine! I'll go see a doctor as soon as possible." And with that she seem to be satisfied. Good. I don't want to argue with a bike. I already look crazy as it is.

Still the matter of this voice isn't leaving me alone. I can only hope it isn't some kind of brain damage. God knows I don't need to be any more damaged than I already am.

**"Cal..."**

Sigh. I need a doctor all right. Maybe MrsDrP will give me a full check once this is all over. The perks of having a neurosurgeon in your address book. You can go shit crazy anytime, free of charges. I'm such a lucky duck.

"USER STOPPABLE. WE ARE APPROACHING OUR DESTINATION. ESTIMATED TOA: 10 MINUTES." Good. We are reaching the end of this story. I want to sleep for a week.

"You know Olly, I never asked how you and Vivian came so quickly to pick me up tonight."

"ADMINISTRATOR VIVIAN WAS RUNNING TESTS ON THIS UNIT AI IN REAL TIME ENVIRONMENT. AT SUCH TIME WADE LOAD CONTACTED US FOR 'A FAVOR' AS HE DEFINED OUR CURRENT MISSION. IT APPEARS THAT ADMINISTRATOR VIVIAN IS IN CONTACT WITH DR. LOAD AS SUPPLIER OF THE HARDWARE OF THIS UNIT. THIS UNIT IS INTEGRATED WITH STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY, CUSTOMIZED BY DR. LOAD HIMSELF, FOR RECON AND ASSAULT OPEATIONS,."

I guess a 'Whoa' is due.

"I see. The little guy knows his stuff. I didn't know that Wade was dealing with the Army."

"IN FACT HE ISN'T. THIS UNIT WAS ASSEMBLED AND DEPLOYED FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF THE VIGILANTE KNOWN AS KIMBERLY ANN POSSIBLE." Cold. A cold feeling grasped my heart. Am I unable to shake off Kimberly from anything I do? "ALTHOUGH THIS DOESN'T SEEMS TO BE THE CASE ANYMORE. JUST BEFORE HANDING THIS UNIT OVER TO YOU ADMINISTRATOR VIVIAN SWITCHED ALL RIGHTS TO YOU BEFORE DELETING KIM POSSIBLE PROFILE. THIS UNIT SUPPOSES THAT KIM POSSIBLE BEHAVIOR IN THE EVENTS THAT BROUGHT THE CURRENT CIRCUSTANCES, HAS INDUCED ADMINISTRATOR VIVIAN TO NOT CONSIDER HER A SUITABLE USER ANYMORE. THIS SUPPOSISITION IS SUPPORTED BY WHAT I CLASSIFY AS 'CRUDE REMARKS' ABOUT KIM POSSIBLE DURING YOUR ABSENCE EARLIER THIS EVENING. THIS BRING TO THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU WILL BE THIS UNIT EXCLUSIVE USER AFTER ALL TEST WILL BE COMPLETED."

Wow. Vivian is earning points in my book rather quickly tonight. And a badical bike all for me? Sometimes is good to be me. I'm brought out of my musing when Olly slows down. In front of me the familiar outline of Middelton High School is standing silently. Are we are.

"USER STOPPABLE. THIS UNIT IS DETECTING ACTIVITIES IN THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF US. IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IS GOING ON. TRANSMITTING FEED TO YOUR HELMET."

The visual outside of the helmet fades off to leave room to some kind of x-ray scan of the gym. The image goes from a blurry outline to a clear video complete with audio. Is there a limit to what this thing can do?

"You know Olly. You're one Badical piece of technology."

"CONSIDERING THE TONE OF YOUR EXPRESSION AND DUE TO THE LACK OF FURTHER INFO I WILL CLASSIFY 'BADICAL' AS POSITIVE FEEDBACK OF THIS UNIT SPECS."

"Eh. You do that, but we have to work on your vocabulary."

"THIS UNIT HAS YET TO BE UPGRADED WITH A PROPER CONVERSATION PROCEDURE. SUCH FEATURE IS CONSIDERED LOW PRIORITY IN THE CURRENT BETA RELEASE. FULL RELEASE WILL INCLUDE A DIFFERENT VOICE PATTERN AND AN EXPANDED VOCABULARY."

"Oh well. I look forward to your next upgrade then. Right now we need a plan of action. I can see a few Synthodrones six, no seven of them if we count Eric as well. All the students and the school personnel seems uninjured. Kimberly is also there, tied like a log. She seems to.. be … crying. Kim." Even after all this I can't help but reach out for you? I guess you can't simply disregard years of friendship over one mistake. Well at least I can't. Can't say the same about you. Ah shit. I am a good guy after all.

"IT APPEARS THAT WE HAVE AN HOSTAGES SITUATION. THIS UNIT IS NOT PROVIDED WITH STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR THIS KIND OF SITUATIONS. WE ARE ALSO UNAWARE OF THE DEMANDS OF THE CAPTORS. THIS UNIT SUGGETS TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THE SITUATION DEVELOP."

Right. We can't rush in there without a plan. As long as the situation keeps cool it's better to study all options we have.

"Olly do you see any kind on access route we can use to sneak in undetected? Roof access?"

"NONE WHATSOEVER. ALL ACCESS ROUTE SEEMS TO BE UNDER SURVEILLANCE."

Peachy. So I ran here only to find myself stuck out? I need to come up with something. How can I unlock this situation? Is there a way to lure them out? Waiting for GJ might have been a good idea after all? No. I can't get forward with 'what ifs'. I have to work with what I have. One badical bike and the element of surprise. Uh. Am I forgetting something? Rufus!

"Olly. Can you scan the area in search of a naked mole rat? I believe he should be somewhere inside the gym."

"SCANNING… SCANNING… ONE SUBJECT FOUND. IT HAPPEARS TO BE HIDING INSIDE THE DRESS ON ONE OF THE STUDENTS. BIOMETRICS MATCH WITH TEAM POSSIBLE MEMBER KNOWN AS RUFUS."

So my little buddy is in there ready to strike. Well done Rufus. We might just give you the distraction to act. If he manages to free Kim she will lend us an hand. If she isn't hurt.

"Olly, what's the current health status of Kim Possible?" Can she check that from here?

"ALTHOUGH SHE SEEMS UNIJURED HER BODY IS SHAKEN BY SPASMS. IT'S HIGLY UNLIKELY THAT SHE CAN BE OF HELP IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS."

Crap. Can't count on Kim after all. We have to do this by ourselves. Though luck. We need to come up with something.

"USER STOPPABLE. SOMETHING'S HAPPENING."

My attention is called back to the gym just in time to see Eric slap Tara on the ground. Motherfucker. I'll have your balls for that. If you have them that is. I'm about to forget all about plans when Tara laughter stops me dead.

"WHAT'S MAKING YOU LAUGH SO MUCH? SPEAK!" his voice reach me through the helmet. Seems like that Tara is pissing him off. What's going on? She never was the type of person to laugh in face of danger.

"You. You're too much fun. Have you taken a look at yourself? Hostages here, demands there. Oh and don't we forget the whole 'Conquer the World' fiasco. All this while you don't even manage to get a call through. How pathetic can you be? And I'm not supposed to find this all funny? And you had the guts to call Ron a loser? Have you looked into a mirror lately?"

Pfft… Way to go Tara. Although it's never a good idea to anger your captors. Not with your hands tied behind your back. I get the feeling that this situation is going to get dangerous soon. I might not have the time to come up with a plan after all.

"Oooh! I see. So you think I'm not doing things properly? Maybe you're right. I should get down to something more practical. Let's see… Hm. I think I have an idea. Tell me what you think about it. Me and my friends here will slap that cute face of yours until you can be recognized by your dental impression and then throw you bare naked in front of the first police station with a message strapped to your head. That should get their attention won't you agree?"

Like hell I'm going to let you do that, you overinflated balloon of goo. And just like before I'm stopped by a feminine voice. One I would never expect.

"No! Take me instead. Don't touch her! Take me!" Bonnie? Holy shit. This is the night of surprises. Bonnie standing up and risking herself for some else? Is the world coming to an end? Tsk. Prehaps even in her there is something worth fighting for. Damn it all. I didn't came here to save them. Yet I can't seem to shake off this feeling. I have to help them.

"How cute. And how surprising. Bonnie. Who would have thought? The Ice Queen of Middleton High standing up for her dear friends? How touching. Ah well. I can use to both of you. It's not like I'm lacking hostages and I think that sending both will really get the message through."

"Not happening." Huh? Is Tara onto something? She's way overconfident.

"What do you mean? You think you can stop me? You think someone will save you? No one even realized you're in danger yet." Wrong. I'm coming to get you.

"He's coming you know? Ron, I mean." Tara? Does she know? No it's impossible. Tara, you shouldn't trust me like that. Shit. I can't just stand here. I have to rescue her.

"Olly we are going in. Screw pre-planning. We get in there and hit them fast and hard."

"ACKNOWLEDGE. SETTING COURSE. PLEASE HOLD ON."

I hold tight on the bike and speed up to the doors. I can hear Eric ranting about what a loser I am, and how I could or will never help them. Its areguments are solid. And they are also wrong. The last word I hear before the bike meets the external doors is Tara vote of confidence despite evidences.

"Regardless. He will come. He will save us." Tara. I won't let you down.

The double doors slam open and I find myself into the gym. I can see Eric fist raised to hit Tara. Not gonna happen. I shift my weight on the back of the bike and, as if reading my toughs, Olly raises the bike on its back wheel. The front tire meets Eric's face while I grab Tara by her waist and take her away. Eric is sent flying on a table. I don't delude myself into believing that it's so easy to dispose of that guy. Hitting the brakes I return the bike on the ground and gently let Tara on her feet. She's looking at me like no one ever did before. Trust. No. Faith. Happiness. Are you happy because I'm here? If only you knew what such a things means to me.

I look around. The faces of my schoolmates are the incarnation of disbelief. Bonnie looks like she's the verge of crying. No worries. I won't let anyone get hurt more than this. Kim is looking at me without understanding. Of all people only Tara trusted me enough to believe I was coming to help?

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Pretty face is back on his feet. Good. We can have fun again then. I pay him no mind while dismounting the bike. He deserve none. I turn back to Tara. She knows without a doubt who's hiding behind the black helmet.

"You okay? Sorry, I'm late." Her answer is a million watt smile and a nod. Somehow that's all the answer I need at the moment.

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION FUCKER!" Poor idiot. She has been telling you for a while now. Put the pieces together. Only Bonnie and Kim seems to get it. All the others don't have a clue.

"Huh? That hurts. Right here." I tab my thumb on my chest in mock hurt. "Aww. Come on. I've been gone for three hours, tops, and you forgot about me already? That's a whole new level of cruel." Yes I'm a Buffoon. But what can I do about it? That's just me. Realization finally hits these idiots. I can hear whispers of disbelief. Think again fuckers. That's really me. I pull the helmet away revealing my face.

"That's right maggots!" Bonnie is now crying loudly. Kim stare is unfocused and distant.

"RON! STOPPABLE! IS IN THE HOUSE!"

Showtime.

* * *

Author notes: Whew. It's done. Took me a little longer than planned. Eh. That's life for ya.

However here we are. I like the way this story is progressing in multi POV. In fact the next chapter will be once more about the gym sitch. Coming next:

Interlude - Gold 2 – Knight

I'm sure you can guess who's this about. And after that:

Chapter 11- Cowardice

Stay tuned (and don't forget to review).


	16. Interlude Gold Knight

Interlude Gold 2 – Knight

* * *

Despite what people may think I'm an outcast. If it wasn't for my look, both my blessing and my curse, no one would pay me any attention. Yet because of this body people look at me. Not really me. They never saw a glimpse of the real Tara. Not that my shyness ever helped me.

Boys always looked at me, at this body at least. They never made the effort of knowing me. Not that girls were any better. Other 'good looking' girls considered me their friend by default because we are at the 'same level' in the food chain crap, or as a rival in the race for some Hot Boy affection. Other 'less good looking' girls by today standard hated me because out of envy. After all I've always been alone, save for my best friend Bonnie. The he came into my life.

Initially I did not think him any different from all the other boys. It took me a freakish encounter with slimy mutant to make me really look at him. To make me realize that he is different. I can't say that he didn't stare at my body. He did plenty. Still the look in his eyes was never like the other boys. He never looked at me like I am a piece of meat to be eaten. When he secretly stole those glances there was always a modicum of respect in there. Maybe admiration, like I am some kind of piece of art. It made a whole lot of difference to me.

During cheerleader practice his hands never roamed. He always held me gently but firmly. Before that experience on the lake I never really considered him. He was a boy and therefore a pig. I was wrong. We had a few chances to talk, mostly around practice, but I always cherished those moments. He was fun. He spoke to me. He spoke to Tara. I was a person in his eyes.

So I began looking for him. Soon cheerleading practice was not enough anymore. Without really meaning to I started to search him in the crowd down the halls of Middleton High. I watched him interact with others and I've learned. I've learned about him.

Despite his weirdness, despite the fact that people looked down at him, called him names, bullied him, he always stood straight. Not physically mind you. He slouches a little. No, I mean that he always carried himself as if the world opinion didn't matter at all. To me, someone who's appearance allowed me to live among others, was a titanic feat.

One day I kept watching him secretly until I started following him at home. God, I became a stalker. Luckily he didn't notice. He's a little oblivious about the world around him. I found it rather cute.

The second time I wasn't as lucky. The pet is more aware than the master. Rufus cornered me. He didn't trust me. Of course, girls always made fun of him. I took a lot of effort to explain things to him. I still can't believe that I had to explain myself to a naked mole rat. I still found incredible the fact that he understood me. He simply squealed 'Okay' and gave me a thumb up before running back into his pocket. Do naked mole rats even have thumbs? Another wonder of Rufus. After that episode we became good friends. With Rufus keeping him distracted it became really easy to watch him undetected. I could never thank him enough, although I'm sure he appreciated those cheesy gift I left around the school.

Day after day I followed him home, after school, after practice. I couldn't follow him in those mission he goes with Kim but he never left my sight otherwise. I watched and watched. And I've learned.

I've learned about strength and courage. I watched him fall many times and raise again once more. Bonnie never understood. He was never a loser. Losers give up. Losers try to blend in. He always stood out. With pride. I'm not sure he realized it either. He always looks down on himself.

But I saw. I saw the real him. I saw the guy who keeps getting up. I saw the person that always get through the challenges ahead of him, staggering, stumbling but always stepping up. He is the guy who makes mistake but never let you down. The guy who will never turn his back on you if you need him. He became my role model. The person I wanted to be. Maybe just not as clumsy.

Then the dreams started. I dreamed of him during that night on the lake. It was simply a memory but things started to change at some point. Night after night in my dream there was somebody less than the dream before, until only the both of us was left. He always came to rescue me and me alone. In my dreams he was a knight in a shining armor. When I told Bonnie she laughed so hard she almost collapsed. I never talked her about my dreams after that. I kept them to myself. I am perfectly aware of what that meant. I'm no fool. Yet I wasn't capable to face him and tell him. There was no place for me. I saw it into his eyes. Every time he looked at HER. HER. ALWAYS HER. I was fine with it. She was everything I could never hope to be. Beautiful, smart, outspoken, brave. How could I ever compete with that?

But then that thing came. He came and she tossed him away like yesterday trash. The look in his eyes was cold, lost, broken. I hated her. But I wasn't strong enough. Not strong enough to stand for him. With him. And he left. After that I couldn't have fun anymore. The light was gone. My light was gone.

When the truth was revealed I wanted to snap HER head. I wanted to hurt her so bad. And then it happened. I saw him. He was there. Alone against the threat. He was… magnificent. His roar echoed in my heart and in my body. I woke up. I vowed that I will never hold back anymore. Not when it comes to him. He showed me the way. My knight showed me how to save myself from myself.

That' s why I couldn't stop laughing. That thing dared to call him a loser? Him? Please, there is no one so far from being a loser than him. I watched him, and that's why I know.

He will come despite being wounded.

He will come despite a broken heart.

He will come despite no one, even me, deserve his help.

I don't need to see behind the black helmet. That gentle yet firm hold on my waist speaks volumes.

He came.

"That's right maggots!"

The person I've always looked up to.

"RON! STOPPABLE! IS IN THE HOUSE!

My Knight.

* * *

Author note:

So, how is this? I wrote it twice and it didn't come out exactly as planned. But I like it. So what do you think of this Tara? She will have plenty of chances to shine in this story. Let me know what you think about it.

Coming next: Chapter 11 - Cowardice


	17. Cowardice

**Chapter 11 – Cowardice

* * *

**

Here we are. I rushed in here just in time to save Tara from Eric beating so I can't complain about the lack of planning, but things are not looking up. I'm beaten, tired hungry and surrounded by Synthodrones. Not exactly my recipe for a night of fun.

"I can't believe this. You are an idiot beyond words. You actually came here?" Eric voice is grating on my nerves . Honestly, how can a guy get under your skin with just two syllable? I make a mental note to ask Bonnie about it. It seems it happens a lot to her. At least when I'm around. "But I can't complain after all. You spared me the trouble to come looking for you. After what you did to my father you became the first on…*WHAM*" I cut him short with a punch so fast that he didn't see it coming. I did not come here to hear him rant.

"God. What's with bad guys and monologues? Are you so much in love with the sound of your voice that you can't keep your mouth shut? Geez. If you talked a little less perhaps you would have conquered the world by now." Eric's back on his feet growling and ready to pounce on me. I just love to piss this guy off.

"You…!Are you deluded enough to think that you can take on me with only one hand?" Oh really? Let's pump the coolness factor. I shrug and put my good hand into my pocket. That simple gesture of defiance is enough of a taunt to have him swing his fist at me. Just as he's about to hit me I let my head fall down and let my feet come up in an spinning kick that sends him on his back once more, while I'm simply standing in the same position as before, hand in the pocket.

"And are you under the delusion that I require my hands at all to deal with you?" That was just so cool. Now let's see if my bravado is rewarded. Oh yeah. The downside of being programmed to act like a human is being subjected to human emotion. His face is a mask of rage. Hook line and sinker. Let's see if I can get this fish.

"RON! NO! RUN AWAY!" Kimberly scared voice is distracting me for my foe. She's looking at me with clear worry in her eye. "YOU CAN'T TAKE THEM! THEY ARE TOO MUCH FOR YOU. PLEASE. DON'T GET YOURSELF HURT ANYMORE!" I simply look at her and answer her plea in a quiet and even tone.

"Kim… SHUT THE FUCK UP!" My outburst left her gaping. Her hold on reality is slipping away by the minute. "Honestly Kim. I'm here playing with my friend Eric. Would you mind keeping your nose out of my business? Thank you." The gym has fallen into a dead silence. No one ever expected me to bite Kim like that. Saving the world maybe, snapping at Kim not so much.

During that little exchange Eric got back on his feet once more. "You! You will pay for that. No one can do that to me and walk away! I'm going to rip your t*WHAM*! Another sucker punch while talking. I wonder if Synthodrones learning skills are limited to their initial programming.

"Not learning are we? Less talking. More action." And the dances are open. With a flick of his hands his buddies are on me. I can feel the familiar hold of fear clenching my heart, like a cold flame running through my bones. Time to put up or shut up. I close my eyes for a second. When I open them again the world is a different place.

Sensei once told me that a skilled warrior is capable, after years of fighting, to see the flow of the battle and actually predict his enemy movements. I wonder what he would think if I were to tell him that I managed to do the same through my fears. Yes, that's me. The guy with more phobias than any other five people put together.

The little coward in me his screaming at the top of his imaginary lungs. In front of me I can see it. The flow of the battle. All the escape routes are clear to me. I just need to step in the right place and all the attacks are simply missing their target. Roll, crouch, turn and step forward. I disregard his friends and I'm on Eric again.

*WHAM*

Another punch to that pretty nose and once more he's sent sprawling on the floor. Behold the power of cowardice. His buddies simply stood where I left them. Without further orders they won't move apparently. That's a good thing to know.

**"…I'm her…."**

Nope. I'm busy right now. No time for conversations. Keep out of my hears.

Eric is once more back on his feet. This little charade is becoming repetitive and thereof boring. His face is now a mix of surprise and rage. He never expected this kind of development. Neither did all others here so I can't blame him. He appears to be finally beyond the verbal skirmish. "GET HIM!" So he can learn after all.

His friends are back on me. I plunge into my fears and face them for the second time. Their attacks are coordinated like only machines can manage, but it won't help them. My newfound awareness and the daring attitude of 'The Jester' are mixing inside me. The result is an outstanding cocktail of movements. Their fists and kicks sail around me without a scratch. Their efforts are rewarded by own response. The creative combination of trips, pulls and levers that only 'The Buffoon' can come up with, send the wandering piles of goo on their backs or faces with little effort.

In the middle of the gym I'm the only one left standing. I ignore the mass of limbs made by the Synthodrones on the ground and stroll all the way to face Eric, who just managed to set is nose back in the correct position. Save yourself the effort. I'm going to mix your face some more.

**"Call…"**

"GHU! You. There was nothing of this in your file. What the hell happened to you?" Behind me one of the Synthos is back on his feet and is already jumping on me. I deliver my answer along with a roundhouse kick that send the newcomer crashing onto Eric, sending both of them on the smashed table behind him.

"I took a level in badass."

No one dares to breath. What they are witnessing in beyond their imagination. Kim is simply staring, unsure if I'm really, well, me. Bonnie stopped crying in favor of simply gaping. Tara is… well Tara seems… awed? I'm not sure. No one ever looked at me like that. Ooops. Don't look away from your foe during a fight. It's not healthy.

Pretty face is standing again. This game of sending him on his back is becoming boring very quickly. Let's bring the entertainment up a notch. "You are over. You are so over! Kill this loser!" And here we go again.

"I've always wondered if you Synthodudes are unable to learn from your mistakes. That's seems to be the case. We went through this three time already. So boring. Let's spice this night a little more, shall we?"

Dodging the incoming fist I roll on the ground to reach a broken bottle lying on the floor. When the next fist gets close to my face I sidestep to the right and slash that thing wrist. The spray on green goo is followed by a synthetic voice. "Critical Damage. Unable to carry on assigned tasks. Shutting dowww…." Six more to go.

Without further ado other four are on me. They won't be any luckier. Wielding the bottle like a sword I slash and stab at the incoming foes. No longer than a minute later my assailant are empty balloons of slime resting on the floor. One is still missing though. A familiar scream tells me where I can find him. A few feet away the still bound Tara is being held by the neck by the last Synthodrone. In his safe corner Eric is gloating.

"Well played. I must congratulate you. You really went over and beyond any expectation. But it ends now. Drop that bottle or your little fan girl is going to have problem breathing in her last moments." I turn back to look at Eric with the kind of expression you would find on a person who just heard a really bad pun. I look at Tara once again.

"Tara?" I wait for her response. On Eric signal the Synthodrone releases his hold on her neck enough to let her speak.

"Ron… please…" She need a little more air before continuing. "…please… KICK HIS ASS!" God! This is one awesome girl. With her blessing I resume walking to Eric who's standing dumbfounded by sudden turn of events. Much like the whole school by now.

"W-wait. Don't come any closer." Not working. "Don't you care about her life at all?" I do. And that's why I keep walking. "You are supposed to be a good guy. The hero." I stop at that. How wrong you are.

"Hero? Me? What the hell are you talking about?" I shake my head at his obvious stupidity. "There is no hero in this place. Let me get this straight. I didn't come here to rescue this lot. Save for Tara, right now there is no one worth my help. Oh, I've would have probably came all the same, I'll give you that, but saving this guys here is more like a side effect. Nah. This is not a rescue mission. I didn't come here for them. I came for you. Because just like your blue daddy you pissed me off. You came into my life and trashed everything I cared for and believed in. Get this in that jelly head of yours. Right now, I ain't no good guy. I'm one pissed off motherfucker. And you are just about to find out how much." I resume my walk while he's too shocked by my speech to take a stance. I let 'The Grin' slip on my face. "And besides you seem to forget a factor. In Team Possible my role has always been the distraction. NOW RUFUS!"

The pink rodent jumped out from Tara bosom, lucky fella, to land gracefully on the Synthodrone shoulder. Plunging his teeth in the goo-bag neck, in a bite that would leave Dracula in tears, my long time friend puts an end to the threat at Tara's life.

With only the two of us left standing the odds are a little more balanced. I'm sure that Eric fighting ability is way over his deflated friends back there. I must keep my guard up, but 'The Buffoon' want his share in this night events. I'm just too happy to oblige.

"Here we are. Me and you, man to err… thing. So tell us Eric, how does it feel to have your plans failing like a house of cards in a windy day? How does it feel to be the loser for a change?" He seething. If he could he would probably being foaming at the mouth. Let's toy with him a little more. "Hey Mr. B!" I call out to my professor. /More like our nemesis/Whatever./

I can tell he didn't expect me to call him by his expression. "What it is Stoppable?" If my grin could widen just a little more my jaw would be resting on the ground.

"About that extra credit in Science you told me I needed to pass this year…"

"Yeah? What about it?" I seem to have caught everyone's attention with that off topic subject. Even Eric is standing a little surprised by that.

"Do you think if I could bring this little project of mine 'Testing pain threshold in artificial beings'? You think I can get a good grade out of it?" Barkin grin is now a mirror of mine. Boys, this is one guy whose bad side you don't really want to be on.

"Make it an outstanding job, Stoppable."

"Deal!" and with that I'm back in business. I cover the last meters between me and Eric in a rush. My new playmate barely had the time to put on a stance, very similar to the twin I fought back a BN. I won't make the same mistake I did before. I won't assume the range of his skill. If is superior programming is any indication, his fighting skills will on a whole different level.

Just as I thought Eric is the worst foe I have to face this whole night, save for Shego, but I had the upper hand there. Now I have just one hand and a sore body. I add to that my craziness and the Power of Cowardice to even the odds, but even like that it's a difficult battle. I won't hold back. We trade blows at an amazing speed. It takes all of my self control to keep my fear on hold. 'The Jester' and 'The Buffoon' are working overtime to keep up. Switching from 'The Jester' aggressive tactics to 'The Buffoon' tricky ones I manage to keep him on his toes. This won't last long. I need to come up with a plan. He doesn't have stamina issues while my breath is going to run short really fast. This night took a toll on me already, there is just so much I can still do. I need to distract him.

"So Eric…" I dodge a fist "… You went through all the trouble of keeping Kim away from your daddy little scheme…" duck under a kick "… yet it still blows in your face like a firework…" block a kick putting my left harm in the way. It didn't even hurt. Not good. "Talk about Epic Fail. How does it feel? Tell me."

I see the kick coming and, just like I did with his twin, I fake dodging only to let it hit me in the chest. I can't try the same trick as before with just one hand so I fall to the ground seemingly defeat. The bottle is just outside of my reach. Enough to lure Eric to me with confidence. That's right. Walk into my trap. As I try to stand up again he put his feet on my chest crushing me on the ground.

"I don't know about that, loser. Why don't you tell me?" He puts a little more pressure on my ribs. God that hurts. " I told you, didn't I? You will not walk away from this." Eh. Time to spring the trap.

"And I've told you.. *COUGH* I'm just a distraction. GET HIM KIM!" warned by my shout Eric spins around, releasing me, he bring his fist back into a defensive stance ready to face…. Nothing. Realization hits him just a second too late. In the time he took to turn around I stood back on my feet and picked the bottle before jumping on him. My weight crushes him on the ground face first. Checkmate.

The bottle is already on his neck and a feeling on victory is burning in my stomach.

Stupid.

Idiot.

Loser.

I should've known.

It couldn't be this easy.

How could I not understand that Drakken contingency plan for Kim wasn't just a handful of Synthodrones?

I should have learned from Drakken. It's when you are at the top that Karma takes her revenge, making the fall a lot more painful. This particular incarnation of Her Bitchiness has the features of a blonde headed teenager with the built on a football player. And just like a football player he tackles me into the ground and away from Eric.

"What the hell?" I manage to roll back on my feet just in time to see the outline of a fist reaching for my right temple. *CRACK* The impact is hard and painful. The strength of it sends me spinning on a table a few feet away. I don't have time to react that my new assailant is already on me. Grabbing my head he drags my face on the surface of table filled with snacks and drinks. It's in this moment that I come to realize my own pain threshold. My right eye meets forcefully with a glass shard conveniently resting on the table. The resulting pain is shock burned right into my brain. I never knew something could be this painful. I couldn't hold back the scream.

When we reach the end of the table the guy simply toss me away like a rag. At this point it's not far from the truth. Mustering some kind of strength I manage to get back up. My left hand on my bleeding eye. There's little rest for me though. A kick in the back send me rolling on the floor. I turn around to see a girl with raven black hair. And then I understand.

Synthodrones.

Synthodrones disguised as student. This was Drakken plan for Kim in case pretty face failed. An hostages situation where the captors are hidden between the victims. Shit. There are five, six, ten of them? I'm fucked. This time I'm really fucked. I'm staggering. My legs are weak and my visual is blurry. Red spot are staining my sight, or what's left of it. Eric is back on his feet. A smug grin on his face. God. I want to rip that away.

"Ah. I almost forgot. Please let me introduce you to my friends. You see I invited them all to this wonderful party. Actually we wanted to play with Kim but she turned out to be such a disappointment. But thanks to you we managed to revive this party. Thank you loser." Then addressing his similar "Break him. But don't kill him. I want to have fun. Let's see how Global Justice will take the sight of their new hero delivered in a bloody package." They need no further instruction.

The beating is merciless. Kicks, punches. They hold nothing back. When I get on my feet someone kicks me back on the floor. I can't react. I can only hear Tara screaming my name. I catch a glimpse of her being held by one of the Sythos. Rufus as well as been captured and can't move. Kim is protesting but she can't do anything else but cursing. A few of the students are booing Eric. Thanks, that's helpful.

Then relief come. "Stop." Eric voice puts an end to the massacre. "Get up. NOW!" I'm back on my feet with no little effort. Eric is staring at me. He adds insult to injury. "I'll cut you a deal. Apologize to me. Declare yourself as the loser you are and I let you walk away. You can't do anything more and you know it. Beg me and I'll let you leave."

Fear. The control I had on it is but a memory. The cold flame is all over me. My legs are shaking. My eye is tearing. I want to cry. I want to run away. I want to hide. I'm going to apologize and get back to be the little vermin I've always been. I'm going to…

NO!

I REFUSE!

I'M NOT GOING BACK!

I WON'T LET FEAR RULE ME ANYMORE!

I muster that flame and compress her in an hard cold stone in the pit of my stomach. You are my fear. I rule over you. Not the other way around. Your days are over.

And just like that I can finally hear. Without the silly little scream of the coward, my ears are finally free. Her voice can finally reach me.

I'm not going to run away!

"I'm not going to run away!"

**"I'm here."**

I'm going to fight!

"I'm going to fight!"

**"Call me. Reach out for me."**

I'm going to win!

"I'm going to win!"

**"Call me! Wield me!"**

And that I do.

I stretch my hand forward, fingers bent as if to grab something that's not quite there yet, and then I call her name. Everyone looks at me as if I finally lost it. Wrong. I'm finally sane for the first time in my life. The amusement on Eric face is broken in the split second between my scream and the lights in the room fading out, swallowed by a sudden darkness and a raging red mist. The only source of light is right under my hand.

She comes to me in soothing waves of blue. Soothing to me at least. By the look on everyone faces the most common feeling is fear. She doesn't come straight into my hand, rather she slowly emerges from the floor, as if offering herself to me gently. The ground from where she comes from is rippling like a liquid surface. I remember very little of the ensuing battle. The last clear memory of this night, before that raging mist claim my consciousness, is the sight of my hand firmly grasping the hilt of the Lotus Blade.

* * *

Author Notes:

DONE! Whew. This piece of Epic took a lot out of me.

Our unlogged reader ntfoemy gets the cookie for guessing the timing of the Lotus Blade

daccu65: I'm glad you like this story and you are spot on about the focus of this story.

So what do you guys think about this one? I've been planning this one from the very beginning. I hope you liked it as much as I do. Coming out with the fighting was difficult as well. What do you think of Ron's 'Power of Cowardice'? I thought it was a really suited ability for someone used to run away from everything.

As always I'm waiting for your opinion.

And coming next will be:

Interlude – Black 1 – Eagle (guess it)

And following:

Interlude – Red 4 –Berserk (which will bring the end the Diablo Sitch)

Goodbye and keep reading.


	18. Interlude Black Eagle

**Interlude – Black 1 – Eagle

* * *

**

The sky was clouded. Completely. The ominous figures of metal giants covered it in all directions. The students went into uproar. We wanted to act but we couldn't do a thing. The source of the threat was too far away and we didn't have a way to contact any of our graduates near the place.

Our teacher was the only one unfazed by this situation. He said that our school always stands still even when the World changes its masters. We understood his point but this change was too sudden and violent, too simply watch it happening while drinking a cup of tea. So we all went to the only room in the school with a television and watched the events unfold. When the blue guy spoke I thought that the change, this time, would both be permanent and unpleasant. I was wrong on both account.

During the World darkest hour a light shined through. We were all amazed. I was amazed. Our teacher was actually grinning. I saw His effort, His pain, His resolve and His victory. He came like the summer storm and cleared the sky from the clouds.

We thought it was over.

We were wrong once more.

Not even an hour later we are back inside the dojo for the late morning katas.

Sensei is watching all our movement with his trained eyes. All the students are breathing as one, moving as one, in a smooth silent dance, perfected by years of training. Not a sound can be heard among the crowd. True to the path of Ninjas our existence is like a shadow.

Suddenly the silence is broken by the sound of running footsteps. Footsteps that don't bother hiding their sounds. How disgraceful. Regardless we continue our training. Nothing will or can disturb our practice. That's what I thought. And I am proven wrong once more.

The door is slammed open by one of the elder students. A Senpai that acts in such a disrespectful manner? Something must be wrong. But that's not enough to stop the flow. Sensei attention instead is drawn to source of this disturbance. An eyebrow raised in mild curiosity.

"What is wrong, Kazuki? What brings such unrest in your steps?"

Senpai Kazuki swallows and takes a breath before speaking.

"Honorable Sensei! The Blade! The Blade is Singing!"

Now, THIS is enough to stop us. Like a speeding car who suddenly meets a brick wall our movement is stopped abruptly. Sensei jumped on his feet as soon as Senpai spoke. He swiftly walks out of the Dojo with the whole students body behind him. The Blade has never Singed. Never since the founder carved the school into the side of the mountain, over a thousand years ago. Compared to this the earlier happenings are of little importance.

We walk inside the shrine without the usual respect shown when a student come in to perform his duties inside the building. There, against the farthest wall from the entrance, the Blade is resting, firmly held in the hands of Toshimuru-sama armor, pointing down to the ground. I've always been curious as to why the Blade never had a sheath. Such a magnificent artifact resting without proper care is.. unheard of. But still, the Blade resisted the assault of ages and came intact to our time. A clear testament of its superior nature.

There is no sign of unusual activity inside the shrine. There is no reason for the commotion that brought us here. Did Senpai dozed off during his duties and dreamed? I can tell by Sensei expression that his thoughts are along the same lines. Kazuki Senpai is dumbfounded.

"Honorable Sensei! I swear. The Blade was Singing! I didn't dream it. Uh. I don't think I did." Sensei is about to answer, most probably to assign an harsh punishment, when he's stopped by the most beautiful singing voice I ever heard. It's not a proper song. There are no words. There is no music. Only the reverberating sound of the Blade, shining in a soft blue light. It's like the soft whisper of a woman meeting his long lost lover. It's a joyous, melancholic tone. But then it changes. Joy leave room to anger and fury. Such a pressure is emanating from the Blade. It feels like holding the corpse of a bear cub in front of its mother. A clear death sentence. We are all worried for our life. No one ever witnessed the fury of the Blade. There is no telling what it might happen. Our fear is amplified when the Blade is released by the armor. It doesn't fall on the ground like a common piece of metal. It floats in midair like it's waiting to be grasped by someone. After a moment of hesitation it slowly descend to the ground piercing it. No. Passing through it like it's made of water. And just like that it's gone.

We all release a breath we did not realize we were holding. The students won't dare to speak. Sensei eyes are wide, his face pale, his brows are trembling. Whatever is the meaning of this, it's enough to scare our usually impassible teacher.

"Summoned. The Blade was summoned. But who? No! The Chosen One? It can't be." And with those words he storms out of the shrine. I'm the only one following him. The others prefer to stay back and discuss this event. If this is about Stoppable-san I have to know.

We reach the library no longer than a minute later. Sensei moves hastily through the shelf filled with scrolls. This behavior isn't like him at all. We reach a smaller shelf in a corner where only two scroll are resting. Sensei grabs and unroll them both.

"Both? It's not possible. It makes no sense. Unless…" I can't hold my curiosity anymore.

"Honorable Sensei, what is wrong? Is something happening to Stoppable-san?"

Sensei seems to take notice of me for the first time. Was he so taken by his thoughts that he didn't even notice me following him? Luckily he smiles at me. He's not angered at all.

"I'm afraid so young one, but I'm not sure what. Stoppable-san summoned the sword to him today. Something he wasn't meant to do." That revelation hits me like a jab. Stoppable-san? Summoning the Blade? How? Why?

"But… isn't he the Chosen One? The rightful wielder of the Blade? Why should he not call it to him?" Sensei looks at me a little surprised before sighing.

"No, young one. While Stoppable-san is definitely the Chosen One, he was never meant to hold the Blade for himself. His role to the Blade is, or was at this point, to protect and return it to its resting place should ill intended hands grab an hold on it. The Chosen One duty is to 'Protect' not to 'Fight'."

"But, back then you told him…"

"I told him that as long as his heart remained pure the Blade would always find the way home. Which means that he, as the Chosen One, is the only one capable to call the Blade back here at Yamanouchi. Not to call it to his hand to fight. That is the role of the 'Harbinger of Chaos'. The one who will bring the World into a new era." Harbinger of Chaos? Stoppable-san? That gentle person?

"H-honorable Sensei. H-how can it be that Stoppable-san is the 'Harbinger'?" He looks at me strangely. I can't read that expression.

"He isn't." Uh? He lost me. "You see, Stoppable-san surely fulfilled the prophecy of The Chosen One, but today he fulfilled the Harbinger's one. One single individual fulfilling the prophecies meant for two different persons. Like HE IS two different persons altogether. I don't know of this is even possible." Sensei doesn't know? SENSEI DOESN'T KNOW?

"Uh. Sensei. W-what does this means?" He looks at the scrolls he's holding and then back at me.

"It means young one.." he let the ancient scrolls fall on the ground like they are unworthy garbage "…that by fulfilling two opposing prophecies he denied them both. For the first time in millennia foretelling failed us. I don't know what kind of ordeal Stoppable-san is going through to make him walk down such a road but, if he survives it, the world will be most certainly a different place. A time of changes is upon us Yori, of which kind I cannot imagine. Most people maybe won't even notice but if, in the future, someone will track back why the World has taken a certain direction, I'm sure that it would lead all the way to Stoppable-san. Toshimuru-sama, not even you imagined such a development." He pause for a moment as If revelation hit him. "Did the Sword chose the King once more? Uh Uh Uh! Interesting. The young eagle barely spread his wings and he has already shattered everything we knew about fate and destiny. Stoppable-san, what a fearsome man you are."

Sensei words are heavy, yet I can hear a tone of amusement, excitement. For the first time in his life the future isn't clear. I can tell that he's looking forward to it. I on the other hand have little thoughts for the future. I walk away and outside of the library. While looking at the clear sky the only thing I can think about is.."Please, be all right Stoppable-san."

* * *

Author Note:

Another Interlude out of the way. Cookies for who said Yori (why is there a lot of people calling her Yuri? She's not a lesbian. Or is she? Hmm).

Prophecies really gets on my nerves for a lot of reasons. They justify any situation a character might find himself into. They tell you how the story is going to end (or spoil a lot of it) and are generally a wide used plot element to set the story in a direction without really coming up with those mythological stuff know as IDEAS.

"Why is this happening? Why do I have to do this?"

"It was foretold!"

"Go fuck yourself!"

And beside is way more cool to crush destiny than bow to it. So I came up with a second prophecy ('Harbinger of Chaos'. How lame is that?*) to simply nullify that Chosen One crap. That's right. Nothing is set in stone. The whole story has to be written and prophecies will hold no room in it save for the fact that I'm going to throw them out of the window. Who's with me? Say 'Aye'!

Coming next:

A little surprise before : Interlude - Red 3 – Berserk

Let me hear your opinion.

*By no mean I find the use of the name 'Harbinger of Chaos' lame. It's only extremely abused in stories and often a synonym of 'I-can't-come-up-with-a-better-name'. So I threw it away. In this story it will be named only to say 'You have nothing to do with it'


	19. Interlude    ?    King

Interlude - ? – King

* * *

For the longest time I've dreamt. I've dreamt of long gone battles. I've dreamt of blood.

I've dreamt of men and women who fought for many things.

Justice.

Glory.

Money.

Power.

Vengeance.

Love.

They all fought.

For different reasons.

And they all died.

All are equal in the embrace of Death.

But that was long ago. For the longest time I've only dreamt. A long deep slumber.

I waited. Years, decades, centuries, and millennia.

Then a spark came. A little, tiny flame, in this cold slumber.

The flame never changed. It burned gently, spreading a soft warmth. No matter how much I reached out to it, the flame never burned stronger.

But then it happened.

The flame actually became colder and colder. I thought it was going to fade. And in a moment it was burning again. Raging. I called out, but to no avail.

Then the flame changed again. It diminished. So fast that I was sure it would have vanished. I was wrong once more.

It raged again in all directions without boundaries and it finally reached me. Finally we met.

Like ages ago I answer his call and reach out to him. To fulfill his wishes.

I will bring no Justice.

I will bring no Glory.

I will bring no Money.

I will bring no Power.

I will bring no Vengeance.

I will bring no Love.

I Will bring Equality.

I Will bring Death.

The King called me. Our hands finally meet again. The Dream is over. The Battle began anew.

* * *

Coming Next:

Interlude - Red 3 - Berserk


	20. Interlude Red Berserk

**Interlude – Red 3 – Berserk

* * *

**

How did this come to be? How could I screw things this badly? And why does he have to pay the price of my mistakes? It's not fair. Not fair. He doesn't deserve to be hurt. He doesn't deserve the pain. I do.

I should be the one to carry the weight. The one to face the danger. The one to be hurt. It has always been this way.

Or was it?

Did I really carry the weight of the world or have I just deluded myself into believing it? Was it him all along? Yes, perhaps he was. I would never have accomplished the thing I did without him. Without him showing me the way, I would have never walked down this path at all.

How could I have been so blind? How could I have been this arrogant? How did I came to believe that he was not worthy? Oh no. I know. I'm just deluding myself once more. I know the answer already.

I was weak. I am weak.

For all the skills I possess I wasn't able to stand against the World. I've let the words of other set my judgment. I've left the standards of someone else take over mine. I sacrificed the things I believed in for the sake of being accepted.

I haven't learned a thing from him. Yet he was so close. He always fought for acceptance without trying to be someone else. Sure he was swayed from time to time, but always got back on his path. Stumbled but got back up.

Has he always been this strong? Did someone even realized? Did he suffer other injuries without anyone noticing? Did I hurt him like this sometime before? Will I ever know?

Ron s' cold, unmoving eye holds no answer. His beaten body holds no answer. His lips holds no answer.

My voice doesn't reach him anymore.

He's gone. Ron's gone. Away from everyone reach.

And while I hold his lifeless body tearing my heart out, I can only wonder.

How did this come to be?

* * *

_"I'm not going to run away! I'm going to fight! I'm going to win!"_

He stretches his hand forward. I don't know what he's up to but the look in his eye is firm. The terror that flashed through it is long gone. The air has become cold, filled with tension. Everyone can tell. Something is about to happen.

"Heed your Master call. Come to my hand. LOTUS BLADE!"

There is a second of nothingness. I can tell that everyone are asking themselves if Ron has taken too many beating. Unit 901 looks amused. Until it happens.

The light is gone. A sudden darkness has taken us all. I'm shivering but the room isn't cold. It's blazing hot. From nowhere a thick red mist emerges, swirling inside the gym, Ron in its center. Unit 901 has stopped smiling. A blue waving light is shining on the floor under Ron outstretched hand. The ground is rippling like water. What the hell?

Its appearance his marked by a sudden thickness in the air. Breathing has become difficult, as if I am running in the desert under the scorching Sun at noon. The sheer… pressure of its existence is overwhelming. How can Ron even stand near it? Scratch that. He looks like that thing is singing him a lullaby. His features are peaceful as if everything in the world is in perfect order, but when his hand finally closes around it things changes.

The mist is swirling wildly around him now, before crashing like a tidal wave on Ron s' body. And just as fast as it came the darkness is gone, the pressure has vanished. No trace of the earlier happening remain but the cold looking katana firmly held by Ron hand.

"What the hell was that?" Unit 901 question is met by silence. "Oy! I'm talking to you loser!" That's the wrong thing to say to someone holding a weapon, at any point in time. It appears that the Synthodrone is unable to avoid its program of belittling Ron. Maybe, just as he said, they can't learn.

"GRROWLL…" is that… Ron voice? Is sight is cast down. I can't see his expression like this.

"Your little toothpick isn't going to change your situation by much. Kill this idiot!" Doesn't he understand? Didn't he feel it? Of course not. He can't really feel. Only act like he does. It's going to be his downfall. The Synthodrone that tackled Ron before is back on him with blinding speed. Ron doesn't even acknowledge its existence. His arm shoot up without him turning to his assailant. The vertical cut is so perfectly clean that it take a whole second before the Synthodrones halves takes two different roads. They pass both on Ron sides without even spilling the content over him, slamming ungracefully on the ground with a splashing noise.

"GrrrrRRRRAAAAAA!" Ron roar rips the silence that followed the demise of the Synthodrone. Unit 901 jumped back as if a lion was about to pounce on him. Prehaps detecting a threat on the commanding unit, the others Synthodrones jump on Ron together, with the exception of the ones that are holding Tara and Rufus. That's when the impossible happens.

Without a sound the Katana changes into a sturdy looking Bo staff. No, that's not the incredible part. Not after witnessing toys changing into giants and back. No the impossible part is the fact that the Bo staff is a two-handed weapon. And with two hands it's indeed being held.

That black thing that was once Ron hand is holding the staff tightly oozing blackened blood. Swirling it around wildly he puts the first wave of Synthodrones on the ground with little effort, but leaving them intact. The next wave is not as lucky. The staff leave place to a long chain with moon shaped blades at both ends. He throws one end to an oncoming Synthodrone but surprisingly it doesn't cut through it. Rather it swirls around binding it. Ron turns around and pulls with unknown strength, sending the caged drone onto another coming from the opposite direction. The force of impact is enough to make them explode like water balloons on a summer afternoon. A few of the students are sprayed with the green goo. They are scared enough to avoid drawing attention to themselves by complaining.

Another Synthodrone managed to sneak inside Ron guard while he was slamming the others. It hit him with a powerful sideway punch to the jaw. It didn't even faze him. Instead he uses the force of impact to twist on his foot, changing the chain back into a katana. The rotation ends with the blade cutting through the unlucky thing midsection, effectively sending the resulting halves spinning against a wall.

He doesn't feel pain at all. It's like he went berserk.

Only now he's facing me again. His face is a feral mask of stone. His only open eye is a pool of darkness. Black like the darkest night. Inside it, the iris is a shining blue moon of power. Ron. What's happening to you? Is the blade doing this? Did it came to change you? Or is it because you changed that the blade came to you? I'm scared Ron. For you. Of you.

Don't look at me like that. Not as if I'm one of them. I didn't mean to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you.

But I did it anyway.

Eye contact is broken when the first wave of Synthodrones got back on their feet. They resume their assault without mercy. And they find none as well. Changing into a Naginata, a long rod with a curved blade at the end, the Blade dispatches the assailant with ease, but it doesn't end there.

As soon as the last Synthodrone meet his demise, the Blade changes into a blood-red spear. There is something wrong about this form. An ominous feeling, similar as the one felt when it showed up the first time.

A sudden whistle pierces the air. The spear flew through the air and through the chest of the Synthodrone that is holding Rufus. This was the chance Unit 901 was waiting for. Covering the distance that he put between the two of them in a couple of seconds, Eric unleash a flurry of punches and kicks that meet their target without fail. Ron is blasted away against a wall, where he slide ungracefully on the ground.

Eric victorious smile doesn't last though . Not when his sight cross the place where is left arm once was.

"Uh! Oh! UAAAH!" I don't know if Synthodrones can feel fear or pain. If they can't at least they are really good actors. I don't know why Eric doesn't deflate like the others. By the look of it, it seems that it's made by a more dense version of the standard goo. The suit around his stump of an arm tighten to keep the contents in.

Ron is back on his feet, holding the now empty stolen arm. He discard it without a second glance before stretching his hand forward once more. The spear that embedded itself into a wall vanishes through it with the same rippling effect of its arrival, only to reappear in the very same fashion and original form into Ron hands.

Finally the message seems to have sinked into its artificial brain. 'Do not mess with Ron Stoppable' has become a top priority for the fake human. Being the last one standing save for the one who holding Tara, Eric tries the only feasible tactic at this point. Escape.

"KILL THE GIRL!" he rushes to the doors with a last command to its only remaining partner, perhaps hoping that it will distract Ron long enough to let him get away. Acknowledging the order, the Synthodrone hold on Tara throat begin to tighten only to progressively lose strength. Its pierced leg his leaking goo at a very fast rate, Rufus is scurrying away to avoid being covered by the jelly substance. Tara manages to breathe again and coughs loudly.

"You are not going anywhere." Ron voice is deep and similar to a growl. Once again the Blade changes into a chain that traps Eric like a snake would. Its escape has failed just a couple of feet from the door. With a pull the Synthodrone is on his back. Using both hands Ron brings back Eric to him like a fish.

He puts a foot on Eric chest in the very same way the Synthodrone did to him before. When Ron switch the chain back to a katana the faker pulls it last stunt. Grabbing an hold of Ron s' leg he discharges the very same shock it used on me but with a whole different level of power. Ron s' body is shaken by convulsions, but no sound leaves is throat.

The crackling sound of electricity is broken by the cold slash of metal. Eric is parted from it last arm in a shower of green.

"How? How could this happen? Why are you like this?" Ron eye returns to his original colors, the red mist is rapidly evaporating form his body like water poured on a hot surface.

"I've told you. It's because you managed in what others always failed. You pissed me off." And with those parting words the Blade falls down on Eric face piercing from front to back. It's body is taken by spasms while the content of his head are spilled on the ground. Finally the existence of that mockery of a person reach is end with a 'Blip', signaling the termination of all function. It's over.

Rufus managed to eat away the ropes that were holding Tara wrists. She run to Ron just in time to grab him before he falls to the ground.

"Ron! Ron!" her voice is frantic, filled with worry. "Ron, please."

"Ugh! Tara. Are you ok? What happened? Eric's dead right? I can't remember well. Is anyone hurt?"

"We are all ok, Ron. Don't worry about us." Tara is trying to keep Ron up but his weight is too much. Luckily the strong hands of Mr. Barkin come to her help. Rufus is going from student to student freeing them, while those already freed are helping in the effort.

Brick Flagg and Josh Mankey join the veteran soldier in his care of Ron mangled body. The bring him near a wall and put him in a seated position. Tara, Bonnie and other students are gathering around him, covering him from my sight. I can only hear him talk now. Is voice is so weak and distant.

"That was a good job Stoppable. I believe it deserves an A+." that's probably the closest thing to a compliment for Ron that will ever come out of his mouth.

"Geez. Thanks Mr. B. Not bad for a rushed up assignment, uh? Not bad at all. Oh Tara. Can I ask you a favor? I think I'm going to be out of the game for some time. Please take care of Rufus will ya? He has taken a liking for you. I can tell. Bonnie? Try not to chew to many heads while I'm away, ok? Other guys… can't take it like I do." He stops and draws a few breaths. "Whew. It was an helluva night, wasn't it? I'm spent. And I mean really spent. And I don't even feel hungry anymore. I think I'm going to take a nap. Please order me a Naco for when I wake up. Oh, and one for Rufus as well. G-*COUGH* Going to sleep now. Just a little. A week. Maybe two. G'*COUGH*night." Finally Rufus got around to free me, not without sparing me a disdainful look. I'm sorry Rufus. I really am. I will make up for it. I swear.

Standing up is a titanic effort in my condition, but Ron went through worst. I have to reach him. Apologize to him. Make up to him. I have to. At all costs.

The group of students parts to let me through. Somebody is crying. A girl whose name escapes me is sobbing into his boyfriend chest. When I finally reach the point where Ron is resting the scene is unsettling. No. No! NO!

Bonnie is standing with both hands on her mouth, eyes wide in a shocked expression. Tara is on her knee sobbing uncontrollably. Mr. Barkin is standing tall, his hand on his forehead in the military salute. Brick shoulders are shaking in repressed tears while, beside him, Josh is holding an hand over his eyes, tears streaking his cheeks.

NO!

"Ron?" no answer.

"Ron, please? Ron, I'm sorry. *SOB* Please Ron!"

No. No. Please Ron. Don't do this. Don't go away.

"Ron? *SOB* RON!" I finally reach him. His eye is open. His chest is not moving. Black blood is pooling on the floor where his arm is resting. I gently grab his face with both hands. Nothing. No light. I bring his head to my chest while rocking back and forth.

"NO! NO! RON! RON! *SOB* PLEASE RON!*SOB* I'M SORRY!"

There is no answer. My voice can't reach him anymore. On the ground the Blade is singing a sad song. He's gone. Ron's gone.

And it's all my fault.

"NNOOOOOO! ROOOOOOON!"

* * *

Author notes:

And with this ends the 'Diablos' Arc.

Coming soon the 'Alive' Arc, which will not filled with action like this if at all.

I find myself wondering if someone ever gone through this many chapters to get the Prom night out of the way and the story started. Oh well it doesn't really matter.

So, overall, how was this first part of this tale? If you'd like give me a ranking from 0 to 10 both for the story and the writing style I would really appreciate it.

Keep in touch. I will soon be back with the next chapter (maybe already this weekend).

Goodbye and keep reading.


	21. Alive

**Chapter 12 – Alive

* * *

**

Ouch!

That's the very first thing that comes to mind as I wake up. The next one is "What the hell happened?". Further questions are postponed by a surprised yelp coming from my right. It takes no little effort to turn my head around and look. My eye doesn't seem to cooperate. I'm welcomed by the wonderful sight of a well shaped ass, clad in a nurse uniform, just in front of my face. Well Hel-lo Beautiful! Nice way to wake up, save for the headache.

That sight is stolen away from me as the brown haired owner turns around to look at me. I find myself staring in a couple of surprised green eyes belonging to a cute, young nurse in her early twenties, with brown curly hairs. Well! The front side as nothing to envy to the back side. I'd really like to make her acquaintance, but she bolts out of the door screaming "DOCTOR!" at the top of her lungs. Keep it down lady. My head is killing me.

Where the hell am I anyway? An hospital, that much is obvious. How did I end in here? What's the last thing I remember?

Name? Ron Stoppable. Check!

Favorite food? Naco. Check!

Best buddy? Rufus. Check!

Family? Mom, Dad, Kim. Fuck!

Now I remember. The Prom, The Diablos, Eric. Owww! My head. How long ago was that anyway? What day is it? I should look around for clues.

Hmm. Standard hospital furniture, no personal belongings lying around so I shouldn't have been here for too long. A vase of flower on the nightstand on my left, and nothing else.

Suddenly my attention is drawn to a particular on my bed. My left arm. Or the lack of it.

...

Oh well! I kinda abused it that night so I guess I can't really complain.

...

LIKE HELL I CAN'T COMPLAIN! IT WAS MY ARM! I HAD IT SINCE BIRTH! I WAS FOND OF IT. ARRRRGH! MY ARM! GIVE ME BACK MY ARM!

...

Ok. I'm all better now. No really, I'm ok. I expected this development when I pulled that switch out of the wall. Well the perks of being crazy is that you can overlook the big stuff for the small stuff.

I'm hungry. When was the last time I ate something solid? A guy saves the world and can't even have a Naco? Life's unfair.

My whole inner tantrum didn't last even a minute. Just the time needed for the nurse to come back with a doctor in tow. This woman reminds me of MrsDrP. She must be younger though. Late thirties is my guess. Shoulder length black hairs, a little taller than me when standing, slender, brown eyes that looks like she didn't sleep too well in the past week. Overall a good looking woman.

"Mr. Stoppable?" her voice is a little surprised but it's just a moment. The surprise quickly leaves space to a professional demeanor.

"Yeah?"

"How are you feeling Mr. Stoppable?" Hmm. Tricky question.

"To be honest, I feel like I've been electrocuted a couple of time and beaten mercilessly by a gang of Synthodrones. Add to that the fact that my arm and potentially an eye are missing. Not a good feeling." She's taken aback by my humor but soon her lips smirk a little.

"That's a pretty accurate diagnosis Mr. Stoppable. Ever considered a career in the medical field?" She covered the distance from the door to my bed and she's now looking at some equipment. Something attached to me I guess. "Well then, your memory seems to be all right. We can exclude brain damages. Of course we should run more test later on." I'm not sure. Some people might disagree with your diagnosis Doc. And they are all in my head.

"Well that's a good news isn't it?"

"Sure it is. Especially since you have been in a coma for the past ten years."

WHAT!

/WHAT!/

"WHAT?"

"Just kidding. It has been only two weeks." Uh. My mouth is moving without a sound. "Oh look. The heart spiked up properly. That was the part that worried us more."

"And your idea of a proper check it to give me a scare? Are you trying to kill me?" This… This… This bitch!

"No. I don't' think I can kill you that easily. And besides we should have run some test of this type later on. That saved us quite some time." I don't have a reply to that.

"Ah, I'm too tired to argue with you. Would you mind filling me in on my condition doctor…?"

"Stevenson. Alice Stevenson. Pleased to meet you Mr. Stoppable."

"It's Ron."

"Excuse me?"

"Call me Ron. Mr. Stoppable is my father." She smiles at that.

"Sure thing Ron. But only if you call me Doc or Alice. Deal?"

"Deal! So about my conditions?"

"Right. First and foremost you died two weeks ago." I think my eye blinked four time in a second. Is she messing with me again. "I'm serious. When we brought you here, around an hour later of your battle in that gym, your heart wasn't beating. You were dead on all accounts. It was just a stroke of luck that we noticed something odd about you." Whoa this is heavy.

"What do you mean?"

"When your body err… you were laid in the morgue a janitor heard you breath while he was cleaning. Of course when he told us we thought he had simply imagined things, but it prompted us to check." I stare with a 'go on' look. "When we checked up on you again we discovered that your heart was still beating. Like three times a minute. Not nearly enough to keep you alive, but it still kept going. So we started running a lots of test on you, trying to figure out what exactly happened and why your body did not seem to give up. Tell me Ron, do you know what this is?" She lends me a piece of folded paper that she kept in her pocket. On the white surface, drawn with pencils is the familiar outline of a snowflake.

"Legacy?" My hand run to my neck where it was last time I've bothered to check only to find nothing. "Where is it? What has it to do with anything?" I don't understand where this is going. Alice rubs her eyes trying to find a proper answer.

"That's what we are trying to figure out ourselves, Ron. As for where it is…" She snaps her finger in an elegant manner, she must be used to give orders. The nurse passes her a white envelope which she opens smoothly and gives the content to me. What I'm holding now is clearly a radiography. A radiography of an heart. My heart. Oh. Oh. Oh SHIT!

There it is. Tightly embedded on the surface of my heart lies the familiar outline of the synthetic entity called Legacy. I can't help but feel a sense of constriction on my chest. I look back to Alice probably pale as a ghost. "W-what? H-how?"

"Sigh. We don't know. The only thing we can tell you is that this thing has kept you alive in conditions where death would have been a certain outcome. This thing has kept your heart beating slow enough to avoid a major blood loss, while its cells invaded your bloodstream carrying oxygen to the vital parts of your body, avoiding organ failures. For what we can see it's acting like a virus reproducing in your body but it's not harming you in any way. No, it's repairing you. You had massive internal bleedings. Treating them with surgery would have been almost impossible, and it would have required a long time before you could wake up. Let us not speak of the possible damage to your mind due to the lack of oxygen. I have no idea of what this thing nature is but it's making sure that you live, Ron. At least it's not a threat."

Oh. W-was this planned all along?

**_"We would like you to carry our children..."_**

THEY MEANT IT LITERALLY! Legion you son of a…. Grrrrr. Ok. Ok. Calm down.

"Ron?" Alice voice snap me back to her. "I understand this must be unsettling but try to remain calm. As of now that thing acted in your best interest so we think that you shouldn't fear about its intentions." Right that make sense. Doesn't make things any less creepy but it works. I must try to find out more about this whole stuff before freaking out.

"OK. I can see your point. Can you tell me something more about it?" She nods.

"We tried to examine it but every sample we took from your blood decades too quickly to perform any kind of advanced test. Prehaps we could know more by taking a sample from the core but we aren't sure of what effects it might have on you, so we avoided doing that." Thank you very much Doc. "Other tests showed us that this thing, Legacy you said, repaired every fresh wound your body couldn't make fast enough to allow you to live. We helped with blood transfusions which improved the rate it worked and kept you fed with nutrients. This little thing is a factory and it's working full time to keep you healthy, but not fast enough to compromise the stability of your system. It's acting like it's part of your immune system. White cells won't attack it like it has always been part of your body." In a sense it is. It came from my own blood. Oh. So it was really planned all along. "That's about all we know about it. Would you mind telling us something more?"

"Sure, but it might take a while. Could I have something to eat first? My stomach feels like a bottomless pit." She smiles.

"Sure. Tell you what. I'll have something delivered from the kitchen. You rest while I call your family and Dr. Director. She was eager to talk to you. Ah, no good, you shouldn't over exert right now. I'll tell Dr. Director to drop by tomorrow. She waited two weeks and she can wait some more. The same goes for me of course. Emily, please make sure that Ron has everything he needs." The nurse, Emily, nods. "Later Ron." And she leaves from the room.

"Uhmm. Mr. Stoppable?" I turn to look at Emily. "Is there something you would like to eat?"

"You don't think I could have a Naco, do you? I know it's not a standard hospital food but.." She smiles and tilts her head to the left a little.

"Sure! You're right, it's not a standard meal here but I'm sure we can make an exception. I'll call the kitchen immediately. I'll be back in a minute."

And here I am, alone with my thoughts. A lot of things to digest all together. I let my mind wander on the night of the Prom.

…

Kim. I can't help but wonder how is she. Bah. Why can't I get her out of my head? Tara. Las thing I remember she was unhurt. I certainly hope so. Bonnie. Bonnie? Ok she kinda surprise me that night. Vivian? Crap. I left her at Bueno Nacho HQ. I hope that they gave Olly back to her.

…

The Blade. Oh fuck. She disappeared from Yamanouchi. I must call and tell them where she is.

…

But where is she? Crap. I left her at the gym. She is probably in GJs' care. Will they give her back to me? What if… Oh. Why do I even bother?

I stretch my hand forward as I did that night. Right there in the corner of my mind…

**"I'm here."**

"KYAAA!"

Uh-oh. On the door Emily is standing with her hands on the chest. What? Oops. The room has darkened and is filled with blue light while the red mist is swirling around. What the hell was I thinking? I release the 'hold' on the Blade and the room goes back to normal.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you." She looks at me startled.

"T-that was you? What was that?" Well done. You got her all curious.

"Yes that was me. And I can't tell you about it. Part because it's a secret and part because I don't know exactly myself. Sorry. Please keep quiet about it, ok?" She looks at me without answering. "Please?" still a moment of silence before..

"Ok. But are you sure it's all right? With your condition and everything?" Oh. Didn't think about that. I should avoid calling the sword if not necessary. I'm not sure of what's going on about me and the world right now. Keeping low should be the smartest idea.

"Yeah it's ok. And thanks." She shakes her head.

"No problem. Just don't do anything that could compromise your health, will you? You almost died already and I didn't even…" She's hesitating. "Never mind. I'll keep your secret Mr. Stoppable. Whatever it is. Beside I'm not sure what anybody will think, If I were to tell that your room was shining blue with a red mist swirling around." Eh. she's right. They will probably throw her with the nutcases. /Can I have her as a roommate? Woooh. Think about all the games we could do together./

"Thanks. And call me Ron too will you? Emily right?" I extend my hand and she grabs it with hers.

"Right. Pleased to meet you, Ron." A small hand but a firm handshake.

"Pleasure is all mine. So about my lunch, uh, dinner maybe, any luck with that Naco?"

"Yeah. It should be delivered here in a few minutes and.."

"RONNIE!" before I can possibly react I find myself crushed into a familiar hug. "Oh, Ronnie. I'm so glad! I'm so glad."

"Ghu! Mom! Oxygen issues!" she release her hold on me.

"Oh. Oh Dear. I'm so sorry, Ron. But… But… *SNIFF* I'm so glad!" There we go again. I don't have the heart to push her away. Poor mom, I must have given her a lot of worries. And that being dead stuff must have been at the top of it. On the door I can see the tired figure of my father looking at us. Another person I scared with that night stunts.

"I'm sorry Mom, Dad. I didn't mean to scare you." My mother is pratically wailing on my shoulder, but my father look calm as I've never seen him. He reach my bed and puts his hand on my left shoulder, the one mom isn't soaking in tears.

"That's all right, son. You did what you felt was right and we couldn't be more proud than this. Only..." he swallows. I can see that he's holding back the tears. "..Next time just don't give us such a scare, will you?"

"I promise that I will try my best." My answer doens't make him any more relaxed but surely more proud.

"An honest answer. You've grown, Ron." I guess I did.

"Next time? NEXT TIME?" Mom switched from happy tears to angered banshee. Not good. "There is not going to be a next time. Hasn't he been through enough? What kind of ordeal shold he face next? Isn't he hurt already? All because of that... that.. tramp?" Whoa! Hold on a second!

"Uh.. Mom?" No use. She's biting dads' head off.

"An arm. An eye. It's not a bruise. What else will he lose for that girl sake?"

"ENOUGH!" I won't take any of this.

"R-Ron?"

"What has Kim to do with anything? Huh? Do you realize what you are saying? This wounds, they... they are mine." That's right! Fuck Kimberly. She has no part in this. "It was me and me alone. Not Kim, not Drakken nor Shego. Not even that balloon of goo Eric. This wounds... They are mine and mine alone. Both my merit and my fault. The price and the reward for my actions. Don't look... down on me!"

This little tirade left me breathless and my parents speechless. I'm too weak for this shit. Agh. My vision is going blurry. Slumping back is the only thing I can do.

"B-but Ron..." her voice is low but mine is even more.

"N-no buts... It was... my choice. All along. Now and before. If... if Kim is at fault certainly is not for my wounds." Right. It's not about her. "This... is not her fault. It's mine. Even... if her lack of trust hurts even more than this... I'm the sole responsible for..." Blackness.

* * *

When I open my eyes err.. eye again I'm staring into the stern glare of Alice.

"Haven't I told you not to overexert yourself, Ron?" I nod. "And please do tell, which part of throwing a tantrum classifies as a relaxing activity?" Boy, she's pissed. And she's scary too.

"Uh... I'm s-sorry?" She smiles sweetly before whispering in my ears. "You'd better be. Or else I'll finish the job you started, you hear?" I can only swallow and nod. "Good boy." And she pats my head before turning around. "He's ok now. Please avoid to excite him too much." My parents are just outside of the room with clear worry in their eyes. She must have thrown them out when she came in. She whisper something to my parents as well as she leaves the room. I can see them pale considerably.

"That's one scary woman, son." Don't I know it.

"Yeah, she is. Uh. Sorry about that. I gave you a scare once more." It's my mother again to tale the wheel of the conversation.

"I'm the one who should apologize, Ron. It's.. It's just that we were so scared, we thought we had lost you and...and...*SNIFF*..and I had to take it out on someone." back again in a sitting position I bring her into the best hug I can give with one arm only. I let her cry again on my shoulder. Poor mom. I can only imagine what kind of ordeal I've put her through in all those years with Kim. Yet both of them never tried to hold me back. Somebody might mistake their behavior as uncaring but I know better now. They were probably the only persons to believe that I could take care of myself in any circumstances, even when I didn't believe so myself.

"Mom, Dad. Once again I'm sorry. I've realized just now that I must have given you a lot of grief over the years. Thanks for never holding me back. I appreciate it. More than you can ever imagine." My mother pushes herself back to stare into my eye. A small smile adorning her lips.

"My, my. You really did grow." And she hugs me again, this time without tears. Once more dad places his hand on my shoulder with a look of respect that I've never saw in his eyes. We just stay there. No one saying anything, simply basking in this closeness we never shared before.

I'm not sure which path I'm going to walk from now on, but for the price I've paid so far I've already found something extremely important. Something worth ten times the price. Things are looking up. For one thing, I'm still alive.

* * *

Author note: Wew. Could you believe that this was the hardest chapter to write so far? Honestly, no action at all. And it will be so for the most part of this arc if not all.

So... any comment about this one? I never woke up from a coma (luckily) and I'm not sure of what would, could or should happen. Did you like the Legacy twist? We've just begun trust me.

Did you like Ron confrontation with his parents? Overall I feel like I've pushed to many thing on this chapter like I've made it in a rush. I hope it's just my imagination.

On a more personal note, I'm sorry for the long wait. The global financial crisis finally hit my backwatered town and the company I work for. A few heads rolled already and those who remained went into a 'survival of the fittest' modality. We basically are at each other throats. That doesn't leave you in the mood to write, does it? No worries, I'm a resourceful man and even if I lose this job I've got a plan already. Crawling into a corner and cry like a baby. No. Not that one. That's for when my girlfriend dumps me. Just kidding.

I should be back on this story with a steady pace but not as quick as before, not for the lack of time but because I'm trying to make interactions more realistic, it takes more then 'kick-puch-fight'. Keep reading.

Some people pointed out that Eric was more talk than action. I hope that I've made clear that his role beside distracting Kim was the same as the King in a chess game: to control the other pieces. Plus he was programmed by Drakken. A person whose ego gets in the way more often than not. What could you expect from his creation? An unlogged user asked me about the spear form of the Blade. Uh uh uh. What can I say? Keep reading. There is more to the Blade than just shape-shifting, but please remind that this story is not a crossover.

Someone said that it's going to be hard to overcome the current level of this story. Is that a challenge? You're on!

PS: thanks for every review, support and even critics. Keep 'em coming.


	22. War

**Chapter 13 – War**

Blissfulness. That's the feeling. I'm floating in a sea of pleasure. My heart is at peace. My soul is at peace. Where have I been up until now? All those battle, all that pain. What do they mean in front of this? Why do people challenge each other in meaningless battles when they could experience this? But it's a fleeting moment. I know it already. Soon I'm going to be taken away from this paradise. It's too early. Too early. I need more. More. But it's no use. It's over already.

Sigh. When a Grande Size is not enough anymore you're definitely addicted. I've just finished my Naco and I'm craving for another one already. No use. Alice won't let me have another one till tomorrow. Sadist.

I've been up for the past three hours now with very little to do. After all the commotion yesterday I've been through a lot of test and I've finally been moved from the intensive care to a normal room. Boy that was intense. Alice is no pushover when it comes to her job. I'm going to have nightmares about syringes and probes for quite some time. Ugh! I feel violated. And not only for the test she runs on me. Finding a tracking chip in my neck really puts me in a raped kind of mood. I'm going to have a talk face to face with my little Tech Guru about this thing. And it's not going to be pleasant.

Bright side, I'm finally in a room with a TV. Boys I'm craving for some Fearless Ferret action. No luck. All channel are news. news, news.

The Diablos Project? Are they still on it after two weeks? Drakken screwed up big time. Whoa! Is that me on the screen?

"...There is still no official statement on the status of Mr. Ron Stoppable. The fate of the young man who has valiantly saved the world from the greatest threat at everyone freedom, is still unknown. While his whereabouts after taking down Drew Lipsky are now clear, Global Justice is not releasing other news. The few schoolmates we managed to interview clearly said that Mr. Stoppable died after rescuing them form a group of Lipsky Synthodrones who happened to be holding Miss Possible hostage along with them. We didn't manage to reach Miss Possible or her family in any way. What really happened that night? Why was Mr. Stoppable alone in facing such a threat? And is the young hero really dead? Global Justice silence is unsettling. Responsibilities still have to be drawn while the trail to Dr. Lipsky is getting closer..."

"...This event is the 9/11 of the whole world. This man is a Terrorist and should be tried as such..."

"... Taxes! Why the hell to we spend billions on taxes for security when a teenager has to do the work? Furthermore..."

"...Vigilantism should not be tolerated. I understand that Mr. Stoppable saved us all, but Vigilantism is still a crime..."

"... Even today hundred of persons are gathering in prayer for the soul of Ron Stoppable..."

"...Kim Possible involvement with Ron Stoppable? Is there something more than friendship between the two teenagers? The sordid story of two young teens, between crime fighting and carnal compulsions. Is Kim really pregnant with Ron child? This and more on Celebrities Third Degree!"

"..hell! This are the signs of the apocalypse..."

*BLIP*

Whoa!

"Unsettling isn't it?" That voice and that eye-patch are unmistakable. Dr. Betty Director is standing on the door. Strangely she's dressed in casual clothes rather than the usual GJ uniform. Ah not that I can complain: Those skin tight jeans are something to look at. Not bad for a woman in her forties. "Welcome back Ron. You chose a really bad time to wake up." She looks like she wanted to be in coma with me, and what worse she looks like she just came out of a coma with those bags under her eyes

"Dr. Director. What the hell is this?" I point to the now muted TV.

"This, Ron, is the greatest mess the world has ever seen." She walks to my bed grabbing a chair on the way here. "And it's not a little because of your contribution." Huh?

"W-what? What do I..? She place her hand on my arm in a placating manner.

"Sorry, I'm just kidding. My sense of humor is going awry lately. The lack of sleep doesn't help either. So Ron, How do you feel?"

"Uh. For someone who just got out of a coma? Fairly well I'd say. Shouldn't I ask you that question though? You look like hell." All right, a few weeks ago I wouldn't have dreamed to talk to her like that. But now? I find myself hovering above small fears. That's a brand new feeling to me. Believe it. She too seems to realize this.

"Can't say you are wrong, Ron. But it's not me I'm here for. It's you." Argh. Right on business. No wonder she's the leader of GJ

"What about me?" let's play dumb. I really want to see where she's going to lead this conversation.

"Ron, a couple of weeks ago you turned everything we thought we knew about you upside down. Thank God for that I might add. I for one didn't like the idea of the world under the rule of that madman. Thanks about that, by the way. I'm not sure if anybody has thanked you properly about it." Oh. Now that I think about it, no one did.

"Oh. It was my pleasure. Really. Don't sweat it."

"Very good. Now Ron, I really like you to help me with a few things about that night happenings. We have all points of view both from Drakkens' goons and from your schoolmates. The part we saw on TV was already good, but the tale from your friends are something else entirely. Something I would like to hear about." Shit. There is no avoiding this conversation. I must try to give the less information I can about Yamanouchi.

"Hmm... Dr. Director?"

"Oh, please! For the sake of this conversation call me Betty. Let's leave the formal parts where they belong. You are not one of my underlings. Yet!" She adds that last part with an hint of amusement. She pulling my chain but I can tell there is a serious proposal under there. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Err. I believe we should call for Ali... Err.. Dr. Stevenson. The first part of that night is related to my health and I've promised to tell her too when you showed up."

"Sure. I'll be right back." And she leaves the room to get Alice. Sigh. I knew this was coming, but still. And what's with all that stuff on TV. Boy, Dr. D really is in big trouble. And that part about me being dead?... Don't tell me they haven't told anyone I was just in a coma? Oh fuck. I'm in for some major problem if I just show up at school.

"Here we are." Betty walks back in with Alice in tow. A small notebook in her hand and the serious look of a scholar in front of a breathtaking discovery. "So Ron, mind telling us your side of the story?" And that I do.

I talk about everything as I witnessed it, starting with Nakamura-san failed kidnap by Shego, then the more successful one of MrDrP and the arrival of Eric in town. They know already what Eric really was so they don't make any observation about it when I tell them about my showing up at the Prom to talk to Kim. I can see that Betty look really disgusted when I tell her about Kim reaction but says nothing. I continue the tale with my ride to Bueno Nacho HQ with Vivian and facing Shego by myself. This time Betty is surprised. No one knew I fought Shego and bested her. I make her believe that I've just played the part of the insane. I'm quite sure that sharing the knowledge of my dual persona is going to keep me in this bed longer than I need. Strapped to it, maybe. When I finally reach the Legion part Alice goes ballistic. I swear I never saw someone typing so fast on a keyboard... Ok besides Wade. When I finish that part she looks at me like her latest guinea pig. I can already picture her dissecting me.

"This is.. Mind blowing. It might be a whole new page in biology. An hybrid between man and machine. The potential medical application could save millions of life. It might change the face of surgery forever. I have to work on this stuff, cross this information with the data we've got from your body. Yes. I will do that." And she dash out of the room without looking back.

"She's a little crazy, isn't she? I've been working with her for years now, and I still can't understand how out her mind she really is." Betty seems to share the my same line of thought. "Please go on. This is getting more interesting by the minute."

And so the tale continues. My close encounter with the Sumo ninja steals a laugh from her usually composed behavior. It's a refreshing sight. From there I talk about my encounter in the power room and my confrontation with the Synthotwins. She seems impressed by how I dealt with the two bags of goo. Finally it's the time for the control room but this part is widely known and I can't add anything more. After that I tell her about my close encounter with Shego and how I've dealt with her. It was risky but I wasn't in the condition to deal with a foe of her caliber. The part about the discussions with Wade and Vivian has no important things to talk about and I go over it pretty quickly. The trip back to Middleton is another matter altogether.

"And that's where I've got the bike from. If you've spoken with Vivian you should know this already. By the way, did you give Olly back to her?" Honestly that bike was badical. If it was mine I'd definitely want it back.

"Yeah. We kept it a couple of days just to confirm everything. It was returned unscratched. Don't worry about it. So what happened after you've got there? We've got a lot of witnesses but things are rather... unbelievable. Care to share your point of view?"

I tell her everything up until when I've summoned the Blade. The part about the 'Power of Cowardice' leaves her with a bewildered expression. Hey it's not every day that you can pull a Master level skill relaying on your weakness rather than your strength. Cut her some slack. After that my fight against Eric is pretty unimpressive except for the part where I've played him into turning his back on me. The oldest trick in the book still works. Then it comes the part where the disguised Synthos beats the crap out of me. She doesn't like that.

"So what have you done when Eric proposed you to surrender?" All right. This is the part where I must hold back the info.

"Err... You Know. That's when my memories gets blurry... I remember just a few flashes and I'm not even sure they are in the right order. I might have imagined a lot of things. I've been in a coma so I could have dreamed a lot of this stuff and..."

"Ron!" her voice is in full 'Commander' mode. "You are many things, Ron, but a good liar is not one of them. Don't try to trick me! Tell me about the sword." I swallow before giving her the only answer allowed.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I've promised to keep it secret." Ops. This seems to spike her interest even more.

"To whom?"

"That's a secret as well." She sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose.

"*SIGH* I need to know everything I can, Ron, I need your help here. And believe me, you need my help too." Huh? What do I need her help for?

"What about?"

"The world out there, Ron, is not the same place you remember. That little you've seen on TV is just the top of the iceberg. Drakken stunt started a chain reaction. The Diablos were all over the world when they've got deactivated." What has this to do with anything? "I can tell by the look in your eye that you don't understand the implications of this." I nod my head in confirmation. "A new technology with unlimited military potential has been scattered all over the world Ron. It's just a matter of time before every nation manage to reverse-engineering it and use it to its fullest. People doesn't realize it yet. We are at war Ron. The Second Cold War. Nuclear warfare is soon going to be a threat of the past. The Hephaestus Technology is much better. It serves more purposes and has basically no drawbacks. There is no limits to what you can do if you use it correctly. And if you use it wrongly too. The world is hanging on a thread Ron. And that thread is you."

"M-m-me? Why? Why do I have to do with anything?"

"*SIGH* You are a symbol Ron. You've stood up against a threat like the world has never witnessed and conquered it. When we'll release the news that you are alive and out of the coma they will be all over you. Not only the common people. The government of all the world as well. You are in the eye of the storm, Ron. Whatever you are going to do when you walk out of this Hospital is going to affect what other people do. What other people think. That's an incredible power Ron. And power draws those who would like to use it for their purpose. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that the outcome of this War depends heavily on what you are going to do from now on."

Suddenly I feel like I should have stayed in the coma some more. Like twenty years more.

"B-but! I don't want any part in this. Why now? This kind of shit never happened to Kim. And she saved the world an Helluva times more than I did." She shakes her head.

"It's about impact. This time the threat was tangible. Kimberly usually foiled the Smurf plans way before it even reached the news. And every time there was not even an injured. To most people it felt like it was some kind of reality show where she was the protagonist. Not this time. Not only you've foiled the Diablos on global vision but there have been plenty of casualties. At least two-thousand deaths all over the world and plenty more injured. The world is in uproar and out for Lipsky s' blood. On the other hand you are the opposite. You represent hope and embody everything people believe being right and strong. I know, it's an idealized vision that doesn't suit you at all. It doesn't suit anybody, but it's carved on you nonetheless."

Somehow the term 'Shit' doesn't do justice. I'm more like in an 'Holy Fuck' kind of mood.

"W-what should I do? I don't know a thing about this stuff."

"I can help you but I need you to help me first."

"H-How?"

"Global Justice is… frozen for a lack of better terms. Since we are a agency made by individual of different nationality we can't work in this condition of international tension. The higher ups know this and suspended us from all activities except for intelligence and information gathering. The point is… in this situation one or more organization might try to hit while we are with our pants down. We are cooperating with all kind of security agency in the US but we are limited in what we can do. We can't reach behind the borders."

"And what could I possibly do about this? I don't have the power to restore your network."

"Yes you do. The weight you have on the political scene right now is amazing. If you manage to push…"

I can believe it! The nerve of this woman!

"Wait a goddamn minute here! You said that out there there's plenty of people that want to use me for their purpose. I'm having this nagging feeling that I can find one in here as well. Am I wrong Dr. Director?" I had to let 'The Jester' surface a little to come up with this reaction. She did not expect it. I can tell by the look on her face. She's silent for a second.

"No, you're right. I need your help and I won't hide it, but the same goes for you. You don't have the knowledge to move in such circumstances. I do. I'm aware that I'm asking you a great deal of trust but did I ever gave you a reason to believe I was anything less than trustworthy?"

"No. But then again it wasn't the same kind of situation, was it? Ok. You came out clean and told me everything straight in my face. That gives you points in my book .Let us make a few things clear. I need your help and you need mine. Fine. Let us have a few rules for this alliance of ours ok?" She nods. "Cool. Rule number one: don't ask about the sword. I won't tell. Everything related to it's my business alone. That goes for the place it came from and the people that entrusted it to me." She nods begrudgingly.

"Rule number two: no lies. Under any circumstances. If there is something t you can't tell me you will simply say so. The same goes for me. Secrets I can stand. Lies I cannot. Good enough?" Once again she simply nods.

"Rule number three: when you need me to do or act in a certain way I want to know why, when and how. As you said I'm not one of you underling and I'm not going to become one." Still no objections.

"Rule number four: No spying on me. Alice told me they found a tracking chip in my neck. I have a feeling about who put it there and I'm going to have a discussion with them soon enough. I go where I want, when I want, with whom I want and you won't track me or said person at all, save for previous deals." This time she has to object.

"No. That's not good. There are people out there that will stop at nothing to get at you. If you don't want to be monitored we can stop tracking you when you request it but otherwise it's better if we can find you any other time. I'm not going to concede on this point, Ron. We need to set a security policy for you." Hmm. That's reasonable. I can see her point.

"Deal. But let me tell you this. This summer I'm going to disappear for a while. No! No questions asked. See rule number one. Ok? Good."

"Is this all?" She's a little unnerved. She certainly didn't expect me to be this far ahead in her game. She did not have time to come up with another plan. Good ,old, naive Ron got his wake up call coming for a long time now. But I'm not finished yet. I give her my reassuring lopsided smirk to relieve some tension.

"Not at all. Rule number five: when we are working together the snackage is on your tab. No limits." She can't hold the laughter back at this. Dr. Director leaves place to Betty once more. That's good. I prefer to align myself with her rather that the way too strict head of GJ.

"Ah! That's more like you Ron. Good. For a moment I thought that you were replaced by one of those drones." She stretch her hand to me and I grab it with mine. "The rules you've set are reasonable and good for a relationship based on trust. I'm relieved."

"What for?"

"I thought I had to deal with a child with a overinflated head due to sudden popularity, a burden more than an ally. Instead I found myself facing a young man with a clear head. I've grown up quickly Ron."

"Eh. They keep telling me that Betty. You are probably right but the wakeup call didn't come cheap." I tell her that while gripping the stump of my arm. There is no need for further clarifications.

"Yeah, sometimes this kind of things happens.. Well, they say that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. You surely seem to hold that at heart." She sighs. "I've taken far too much of your time. If Alice wasn't too taken by her research she would have kicked me out already. I'll be back tomorrow so I can fill you in on all the details. I should also speak to your parents. I've sneaked in when they were somewhere else, to talk to you without filters. Turns out it was the right choice. You can take care of yourself, Ron, that much is clear. I really have to go now. Lots of responsibilities on my head." She gets up and turns to leave. "Try and get some rest, Ron. The coming days are going to be very tiring. Bye." She leaves the room. Betty quickly left place to Dr. Director once more.

We are similar, me and her. Different faces for different circumstances. I wouldn't be surprised to discover that she has more than one personality as well. Ah! Maybe that's even more common than I ever thought. The crazies are all over hiding among the sane. … Naah! More likely we are all insane in many different manners. Ah. Shit I'm digressing. Focus Ron. There is a lot of things you have to think about and none of them are pleasant. I have to catch some more news. There is a War going on out there and I need to be prepared for it.

Author Note:

Bombshell. Things are going to get hot from now on. Ron is going to find himself in situation where calling the sword wouldn't be of any use. No worries, there is still going to be plenty of action in this story. I hope you are all liking this story and the turn it's taking. Soon we will focus again on the other characters. Keep reading.

Bye!


	23. Interlude  Red  MrsDrP

**Interlude - Red – MrsDrP

* * *

**

We are falling apart. We lost a son and our family is falling apart.

I can't get out of my mind the image of my daughter returning home. Broken. A broken doll without a spark of life. Her usually fiery eyes were dulled and empty. I knew it then. In that very moment I knew what happened. I saw it many time in my line of work. Only one thing could possibly bring a person to look like this. The death of a loved one.

He's gone. The child of another woman, that I loved as my own, is gone. She didn't need to tell me anything. We embraced each other and we wept.

When my husband saw us he didn't understand. Nor did the twins.

_"What happened?" _I swear I've never heard so much concern in the voice of my husband in over twenty years of marriage. It's my daughter to answer him.

_"He's gh *SOB*... He's gone. Ron's gone."_ The air froze. If a single shred of doubt was still lingering Kim quickly wiped it away.

_"Gone where? When is he coming back?"_ for all their genius the twin couldn't conceive death. It was James turn to make things clearer. I watched him hold back the tears before hugging our children and whispering softly in their ears. I will never forget the horror in the face of my children. Their cry of sorrow will forever echo in my hears.

_"My fault, my fault. It's all my fault, Mom."_ I would have never believed such statement. I knew that it had to be a form of self punishment for not being able to help.

_"Shh. It's not your fault, Kimmie. Not your fault."_ It took a lot of effort to control my sobs and bring comfort to my daughter. My duty as a mother was more important than my sorrow.

"_But *SOB* But it is!. I pushed him away Mom. He came to tell me, but I didn't *SIGH* I didn't believe him. And he went alone, and he got hurt. And then... then... WAAAH!"_

I couldn't believe it. I really couldn't believe that my daughter pushed away the guy that stood up for her for over twelve years. It took more then ten minutes for her to tell us the whole story.

I was horrified. Words fail to express the disgusting feeling in the pit of my stomach. I embraced her tighter and hold her close. God. How could the single mistake of a crushing teen bring such consequences? Why did the most caring boy I ever knew have to pay for it? Life is an harsh mistress but this time her unfairness went overboard.

It was then that the rift began to form. The twins were the first to show it.

_"How could you? HOW COULD YOU?"_

_"He was your friend. He did everything for you."_

_"He went to the rain forest for you while you were out with that other boy. How could you believe that he would try to ruin your date?"_

Their accusation, their hate, dug even deeper into the bleeding wound in my daughter heart.

_"I-I- didn't mean to..." _

_"Yeah? But you did it anyway."_

_"You killed him."_

_"You.. you.. YOU MURDERER."_

After that, things went from bad to worse. When it became clear that Drakken lastest exploit was based on James 's work the authorities were on us like hungry hounds. The NSA stormed our house and questioned everyone. James was arrested under the accusation of 'complicity in terrorism'. It was only thanks to Betty that those ridiculous accusation were dropped in a couple of days. Still the space centre saw fit to fire James from his job. It would give a bad image to the centre, they said. Hypocrites. The press was on our family like Hyenas. We couldn't leave the house without being assaulted by the reporters. I still can't believe what that woman dared to say about Kim and Ron.

But that was just the beginning. Perhaps I was too taken by the whole ordeal to keep a close eye on my daughter. God how could I have been so blind? The signs were all there.

When I got back from the hospital five days after that fateful night the house was filled with an eerie silence.

_"Kim?"_ If I didn't knew that she wouldn't go out these days I would have thought that she wasn't home. Thank God for small miracles. I made my way to her room only to find it empty. I didn't have time to question about her whereabouts before the sound of running water caught my attention. The door to the small bathroom was left slightly ajar. It wasn't like her to leave the door open while taking a bath. It was then that realization hit me in the form of cold feeling in my stomach. I reached for the door and slammed it open. There she was. The bath was almost filled with clear water, barely stained by the fresh blood dripping from my baby pale wrist. In that moment our eyes met. So many things in those pale green orbs. Guilt, sorrow, pain, regret, loniness. I could understand it but I could not accept it.

_"KIM!"_ I reached for her right hand which was still holding the sharp razor she used on herself.

_"No! Stand back! Let me go!"_ I caught her early enough and the loss of blood was minimal. She fought like a lion. _"Let me go! I have to go! *SOB* Let me go-ooooh! Ron is alone. All alone. *SOB* Let me go to him! Please!"_ The razor clattered on the ground and away from us. Kimberly crawled into a ball and started rocking back and forth, blood still dripping from her wrist._ "All alone. All alone. All alone."_ I didn't know if she was talking about Ron or herself at this point. I took the first aid kit that she usually keeps in her mission backpack and bandaged her wound. She did not try to resist this time. I cradled her like a baby until she cried herself to sleep. I don't dare to imagine what would have happened if I got home a little later that day.

When I told James that night, after he got back home from GJ, I swear that he lost ten years of life. While we always tried and managed to be fair parent I know that he always had a special link to our daughter despite the fact that the twins are more similar to him than her. From that day I saw him glance to the liquor cabinet more than once but he never, NEVER, sook refuge in the easy embrace of alcohol. I loved him ten times more for the strength he showed us.

Due to his involvement with the investigation made by Global Justice, James spent a lot of time outside the house. I had to take time away from my job because we didn't dare to let Kimberly outside of our sight for too long. Luckily the hospital had no objections. Brain surgery was not at the top of the list since we were still dealing with the wounded of the Diablos invasion. All surgery except for emergencies where postponed to another time.

Kimberly spent most of her time on the sofa watching the reruns of the series that Ron loved so much. I wouldn't let her go back to her room if I saw that she was too much in a funk and prone to try again. The twins kept away from her like she had an infective disease. Despite our constant attempt to explain them that Kim was already punishing herself they wouldn't want to hear any of it. On the other hand Kim never tried to dismiss their silent and not so silent accusations either. No she actually believed they were right.

The days passed in this dark mood and now, almost a month since the night when Ron passed away, we are nowhere near to be back on our feet. While Kimberly promised to not try again to take her own life, for our sake and as a form self inflected punishment, I still haven't gone back to work. When she told me that probably Ron wouldn't want to see her in Heaven because he hates her, my heart broke apart once more.

And now I'm here, sitting at the kitchen table, holding a picture of times long gone. The small wooden frame is holding a piece of our life that will never come back. We are all smiling in there. Even Kim, despite her embarrassment at showing her bracers. A genuine smile free of worries that only a child can have. A smile that has been taken from her along with that person that used to cheer her up, and us while he was at it, in any situation. The blonde haired, freckled boy, with the large mouth and the tongue sticking out of it, has been ripped away from this world and our life. My son is no more. I'm so taken by the memories that I wouldn't notice the tears, if they weren't blurring my vision and splattering on the glass enclosing the picture. I take the tissue, the most used item in this house lately, out of my pocket to dry my tears. I'm about to blow my running nose when a knock on the front door calls for my attention. We aren't expecting anyone. I swear to God, if it's another of those reporters again I'm to rip their heads off and send what remains into orbit with one of those rockets the twins are so fond of.

I open the door ready to give a piece of my mind to the disrespectful waste of a human being, when I get a good look at the person standing in front of me. Time freezes. There is something familiar about this person but my brain cannot accept what my eyes are telling me. I stare at him for a period that could be a second or a whole month. It's his greeting that finally snaps me out of my daze and makes reality sink into my brain. An unmistakable greeting that only one person ever used.

"Heya, MrsDrP!"

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Author Note:

Here we are. This one was rather short and yes, we skipped ahead another couple of weeks in the story. I've made it on purpose of course. Why? Because it allows me to keep a wide frame where I can allocate a bunch of stuff, like Betty instructing Ron how to act in public or other situations, without boring the readers with a couple of chapters that would look like an instruction manual. Useful information will be given while the story progress and when it's needed. There is no point in telling you before and so I've avoided it. Also next chapter will see the confrontation between Ron and Kim. If I were to tell you what conclusions he reached while mulling in the hospital the next chapter would be quite redundant but still needed. Next chapter will begin with Ron last day in the hospital. See you soon.


	24. Comfortation

**Chapter 14 – Comfortation**

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**This sucks.

Learning that while you've been in a coma the school has been postponed really sucks. I mean, come on! Sure, I'm happy/not really/ that I did not miss any test that I should take later on in summer school but still! Boy, I would have never thought that the Diablos Sitch would cause the school to close for a month to 'deal with the shock' and all that crap. Blast! I've lost a month of vacation. Note to self: don't get too beaten up while saving the world. You might miss the after-party. Ahhh!

At least I'm finally out of that place. Between Betty and Alice I'm not sure how long I could hold. Betty is a slave driver and Alice must have been an inquisitor in her previous life. I swear that I couldn't find a guinea pig willing to take my place even if I paid for it.

Betty crash course on 'social & political behavior' ranked as a close second in my 'not to do again' list. Shit. My head is so full of faces, places and events that I could run for President at the next election. What's worse is that I could actually win if Betty is right about my current popularity. Isn't that ironic? Up until a month ago, when I was craving for attention, they couldn't even remember my name right. Now that I couldn't care less about it, I have to make the world believe I'm dead to move around undisturbed. And I'm supposed to be the one out of my mind.

Getting my parents to agree with Betty was tricky. Well Mom mostly. Dad simply asked me if I was sure and then he simply nodded is approval. I never realized just how much my old man trusts me. Mom was… let's say concerned… about the development, but a long chat with Betty pretty much cleared things up. She wasn't happy. Scratch that. She was ticked off. It took a while to make her understand that working with Betty and GJ was the best course of action.

Well it's not that I can't understand her behavior. I've almost got myself killed, been in a coma for a couple of weeks, woke up with an arm and an eye less and with an artificial being in my heart, in a world that worship me as an hero, with all the downside the it entrails. Would you actually believe that being popular has drawbacks? Well I wouldn't believe it if Betty didn't explain it to me. Just wait until Bonnie hears of it. Being the new poster boy for GJ is going to paint a big red target on me. Lucky me.

That's why Betty gave me a day before revealing in a press conference that I'm still alive and kicking. She said that only a bunch of higher ups are aware of it. And she meant 'White House' higher up. Those kind of people that you should never withhold information from, if you know what's good for you.

So I've been running around doing my business under everyone sight without being noticed. How so? Well a month in an hospital tends to have an effect on you. Being fed for two week through a tube with only the strictly needed nutrients, and passing the remaining two in all sort of physical test took a toll on my appearance. I'm no way more ripped than I was before but my diet was rather strict. Also, with my hairs are a little longer, one arm missing and the black eyepatch, courtesy of Betty, I don't exactly resemble the skinny but round faced boy I was a month ago. I'm not inconspicuous but it would take more than a couple of looks to associate the person I'm today with the person I was before. Add an hooded shirt and a couple of black glasses and I'm a perfect nobody. Wow. I would have never believed that I could actually be ok with that. Eh, the twists of life.

I'm walking around in the neighborhood of my house, trying to see if I can catch a glimpse of some reports that are supposedly hounding around my place, looking for my family. That black van with dark windows on the sides, for instance, is positively screaming me to keep away from home until later. Betty announcement should be in two or so hours. What to do? What to do?

Hmm… Should I? Doesn't sound like a smart idea. I tried to call them but I couldn't reach them. They've probably unplugged the phone to keep those sharks away. Hmm… I want to tell them that I'm alive before they find out from the news. I mean, they are like my own family. It's not the kind of thing you should keep from them, right? Betty didn't want me to tell until today, something about keeping the information restricted. All this secrecy crap is getting on my nerves and it's only day one. Boy it's going to be a loooong month. Ah! Fuck confidentiality. I only hope I don't give them an heart attack. Dead people showing up on your door isn't considered good for your health, is it?

I should do this today anyway. I can't keep procrastinating. … Holy shit! Did I really think that? The world is coming to an end. That or I'm really growing up. Which is basically the same thing. All right, all right. Get yourself together and stop digressing Stoppable. Focus on your target. Next stop: Possible Household.

I walk the usual way up to the familiar building where I used to spend most of my free time as a kid. It feels like it has been a life ago. There is no sign of reporters around. No strange vehicles, no one walking back and forth in front of the house and nobody hiding in the bushes. Either they've given up in interviewing the Possible or they will try to ambush them somewhere else, where they won't risk trespassing on a private property. School should start in a couple of days anyway. What better place to corner Kim and question her? Well it all works in my favor then. What a wonderful change for once.

I don't walk straight to the front door anyway. In this era of telescopic cameras someone might try to get a picture for a couple of blocks away. Let's play it safe.

I sneak around the house and jump over the fence and into the garden. There are a lot of footmark on the ground. Somebody must have had the same idea to reach the house unnoticed before. I don't think that whomever did this was trying to hide from the reporters. More likely they were trying to sneak up around to take some picture of the Possible. I hope they got caught by one of the Tweebs Rocket. Huh uh uh. Considering the fact that those rockets seems to track human beings on purpose, it's actually a very possible scenario. No pun intended.

Without drawing attention I sneak against the wall closer to the fence . I don't actually crouch like you often see in the movies. That is one way to attract attention. Nah, I simply walk with the hand in my pocket keeping away from sight. Skills developed in the dangerous corridors of Middleton High. I'm finally in front of the door without having seemingly drawn anyone attention.

Making sure to keep the hood up and the back turned to the street, I remove the glasses and knock on the door. After a minute I'm starting to think that maybe nobody is home, but that thought is quickly wiped away when the door opens by a bewildered Anne Possible. For a moment I thought that she was going to pound me into the ground. Now she's simply staring at me like she saw a ghost. /Well, duh! What else did you expect Captain Obvious?/

"Heya, MrsDrP." At the sound of my voice she seem to regain focus. Just for a moment tough. A fraction of second later her eyes roll back and she slumps ungracefully on the floor. I jump and grab her before her head hits the ground. So much for not giving an heart attack.

I drag her into the house closing the door behind me with my foot. The couch is not too far from here but it's a titanic feat for a guy with one arm. With no little effort I place her on the soft surface that hosted my Friday nights with Kim. I take in the familiar smells of this place. Wood and paper, but also the faint scent of burned up fuel from one of the twins rocket. This smell is actually almost vanished, as if those two troublemakers haven't shoot anything into orbit lately. A clear sign that this family is in a funk. I'm not clueless enough to not know the reason for this. If this woman and her family loved me only a tiny fraction of how I love them, my death must have hit them pretty hard. Damn. I can't help but feel guilty about this. I should have insisted more with Betty to let them know. I vow to myself to never let them in a situation like this before proceeding to wake her up.

She moans a little and I can't help but notice how sexy she is for a woman in her forties. Yeah, when I hit puberty it became kinda awkward around her in some situations. I love her like a mother but she is definitely not my Mom. You don't have those kind of dreams about your mother. At least I hope YOU DON'T!

She finally opens her eyes to bore into mine. She knows that she's seeing me, but she not sure if I'm simply a product of her imagination. She shift into a seating position without ever stop looking at me. It takes a whole minute before she opens her mouth.

"Who are you?" Uh. Not exactly the question I was waiting for. I have the feeling that she's questioning herself rather than me.

"It's me, MrsDrP. Ron." She shakes her head

"No. No. Lies. Ron is dead. You are an illusion or one of those… Syntho things" I can understand her point of view. There are too many other explanations for what she's seeing more plausible than a dead person being alive. I have to break her out of her shock. I grab her left hand and bring it to my cheek.

"You are the Doctor, Anne. Does this warmth feels artificial to you? Are illusion this realistic? It's me. I'm alive." Her stare never left mine. She rise her other hand to my face and stare deeply into my eye. A lone tear streak down her cheek as her eyes regain the focus of reality.

"R-R-Ronald?" she swallows. Trembling hope. Fear. Happiness. How many emotions can a single sentence convey?

"I'm home, Mom." I didn't mean to say that, I've never called her that openly, but it simply rolled out of my mouth. There is no room for half truths in this moment.

I find myself crushed in the most powerful hug that this body has ever received. Not even my real mother hugged me this powerfully, even if it was because I was pretty much wounded when I woke up. With her head buried in my neck she release a muffled scream, while her arms circle around me, holding me, keeping me close, trying to prove that she's not dreaming. I can feel the wetness of her tears on my skin. I return her hug with all the love I possess.

Would you think badly of me if I were to tell you that I love this woman more than my real mother? Don't get me wrong. I love my own mother with all my heart, believe me. It's just that the bond between me and this woman in my arm is way different. We shared so many thing together. So many moments that my parents missed because of their jobs. I don't blame them, at all. It's just that their absence left a hole in my life that this woman filled in so many ways. She fed me, scolded me, supported me, welcomed me in her home like a son even if we aren't related, entrusted the safety of her daughter to me. Her support never steamed from motherly duty but from willing love. You might thinks it's wrong, but in my mind such a thing ranks way higher than parental love. She choose to love me. Without limits, without boundaries, without conditions. Complete acceptance. Not even the feelings I had for Kim were this powerful, I know now. It took me to be almost be ripped away from them to realize. For her I feel an hint of attraction, a great deal of respect and a Huge amount of pure love. I just know that there is not going to be another person in my life that I'm going to love this way. Maybe with the same strength, but definitely not in the same way.

She finally manages to control her emotions enough to let me go and look at me properly for the first time. I'm still crouched and she's still sitting on the sofa. She's about to ask me something but, only now, her brains register the eyepatch and the empty sleeve. Her hands reach for her mouth as her eyes widen once more in a shocked expression. Her knowledge as a physician is already answering a few of the questions on my whereabouts this past month. My looks screams 'Hospital' so much that's it's a wonder why I can't actually hear it.

"R-Ron. You… but… your wounds…." Her expression is a mix of happiness, concern, love and so many other thing that I'm not capable of listing. I'm discovering a brand new range of feelings and emotions today that I didn't know possible.

"It's okay." She shake her head. "Really. Anne. It's Okay. It's going to be all right." The storm of emotions we just went through was too strong to simply call her MrsDrP again. For today at least. I bring her once more into an hug. This time is not as strong. I can feel her cling to me like a drowning person in the middle of the storming ocean would do to a rock. I can only imagine what kind of ordeal her family went through this past month. I have to make things right.

"Thank God. Thank God. Thank God." She repeats this mantra as she holds on me for dear life. I pat her gently on the shoulder.

"Mom what…" the voice of a child behind me calls for my attention. I slip away from Anne embrace and turn around while getting up. In the hallway Jim is staring at us with an odd look. He's alone. Tim is not in sight. Eh, I could always tell those two apart. I don't exactly know how but I do.

Taking in the sight of me, Jim s' eyes widen to an impossible size. The parts he was holding in his hands are now clattering on the floor.

"Hey. Be careful. Those… parts… are…" Coming out from the kitchen, Tim voice trails as he sees me near his mother. Much like is brother the things in his hands are now resting on the floor. We look at each other for a time I don't bother measuring.

"So, what have you troublemaker been up to lately? Anything fun?" I start a casual conversation trying to snap them out of their daze. And it works.

"R-R-R…. RON?" they speak in sync as usual, even when stuttering. I nod.

"In the flesh!" I'm tackled on the ground by a pairs of laughing human rockets. Such a different reaction from Anne. I guess the mind of a child is more prone to accept good news, even when they seem impossible. I'm flooded by a stream of questions and statements. I can barely get a few of them, most notably how cool the eypatch is and if they can work on a artificial arm with rocket missiles. Now that would be cool. "All right. Guys. Guys. Tweebs! Get off me." Reluctantly they give in and climb off. I'm back on my feet. In a corner Anne is drying her tears. Happy tears.

"Ronald. What happened? Kimberly told us but…. You're here now and…" Anne is asking the most obvious question but I already told most of this tale once already. I'd rather tell only once more than repeat it for every family member. And besides, there is still someone I must talk to. MrDrP is probably at GJ right now but her... .

"It's a really long story. I'd like to tell the tale once and for all. Would you mind calling MrDrP and tell him to come home. Don't worry, B..Dr. Director knows. She will let him come home. In the meanwhile I'd really like to speak to Kimberly. Is she home?" Anne wince at the mention of her name. I can tell that things have gone bad lately among the person in this family. The Tweebs just confirm this.

"She's in her room."

"She almost never comes out, that traitor."

"Honestly, she's the one who should be wounded…"

"Enough!" I cut them even before Anne get a chance to reprise her children. They all look at me surprised. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap like this. Please let me speak to her. Once I'm done I tell you all everything I can. I promise." Without waiting for their permission I turn to the stairs and start walking to her room. I've made just a couple of steps on the stairs when Anne stops me.

"Ron. Wait." She worried. Scared. Whatever I'm going to find in her room is not going to be pleasant. "I- I know that I don't have the right to ask you this but…." She swallow. "Kimberly… she's hurt. She has been punishing herself for the past month more than anyone else ever could. A.. A few days after that night she… she tried to take her life." I feel like a cold knife has been stabbed into my stomach. I can't believe that Kim would do that. Ever. "I know that she hurt you but… please…. My baby…. She need you. I can't help her. I've tried. God knows I've tried, but I can't help her. I can't reach her. Please… I know that I can't just ask to forgive her but…" She's cut off by my hand cupping her cheek. It's an intimate gesture that she never expected. Enough to shock her into silence and convey my words without a shade of doubt.

"I know. Don't worry. I didn't come to hurt her any more than she already is. Trust me. I've been thinking a lot about what happened that night and before. I don't think I can restore our relationship to its former status, but maybe… Maybe we can start something else. Something better." Her worried look left in favor of a relieved one. She trusts me with Kimberly. She always did. She reach for my hand with hers, closing her eyes. When she opens them again the strong woman I always knew and loved is back. I'm never thought that I could be part of the source of that strength. I've never felt more proud.

Without other words she goes back to the twins, while I make my way to Kim room. I knock two times.

"Go away Mom. I'm not in the mood to see anyone." I open the hatch and get in anyway. She's curled on the bed, her back turned to me. "Leave me alone."

"No can do, Kim." At the sound of my voice she stiffens before turning around slowly. Her eyes are wide. In her hands she's clutching one of the Jersey I've left at her house for emergencies. We look at each other. I'm not sure of what she's seeing while she looks at me, but the person in front of me is different from the one I knew. She's always been skinny but now she could almost pass for anorexic. The bags under her eyes speak of sleepless nights an haunted dreams. I see how this person could try to end her life. Surprisingly she the one to break the silence first.

"Did I finally die? Have you come to take me to Hell? Please. Don't let this be just another nightmare. I can't take it anymore." Despair. Deep, palpable despair. She took me for granted. She always did. She had to believe me dead to realize. The fool. And me? I'm no better than her. I never saw. I've never wanted to see.

"No Kimberly. You aren't dead. And you aren't dreaming either." I cover the distance from the hatch to her bed with three steps. As I get closer she curls even more, whimpering. She holding my shirt like a blanket to shield herself. Have you always been this fragile, Kim?

"No. No. Stay away. You aren't real. Please *Sob* Stay away. Ron. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want to kill you. *sob* Pleeeaseee." For every word I feel that knife stabbing me over and over. God. Where did we turn wrong? No. I know that answer already. I know who's at fault here.

"You didn't kill me, Kim. I'm not dead. I'm here. I'm alive. See? I'm real." I try to comfort her holding her hand. It's useless. She shivers under my touch.

"Lies. Lies. You are fake. Just another thing like Eric. No! Don't touch me. DON'T TOUCH ME! I held him. His body. In my arms. He was dead. He's dead. You aren't real." She tries to crawl away but she can't go anywhere. I bring her into an hug that she hasn't the strength to get away from.

"That day, when we first met, you told me 'You're weird, but I like you'. That day I knew that we would have been friends for a long time." I whisper softly into her ear. "When I came back from Camp Wannaweep I told you that the worst part of that summer was being away from you. I've never told that to anyone else. I know that you did the same." She stiffens even more. "That night after the moodulator incident you told me that not everything was fake. 'There are still fireworks' you said. You think that anybody else would know about this stuff?" I let her go. If she runs away, she runs away. It's her choice at this point.

But she doesn't run. She doesn't move at all for a good minute. When she finally pulls back she looks in my eye with such a scared hope, such a pain, such a disbelief. She doesn't dare to accept reality. If I would turn out to be a dream or a faker she could never get back on her feet.

"It's you? F-f-for real?" I nod. The dam breaks again. Fresh, warm tears are streaming down her face without control. "Please! Please! Be real. Be real. Be real. Be real." She doesn't have the strength to hug me like her mother did otherwise my spine would be broken in two by now. She straddling me. Her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. "Oh God. I'm sorry. *sob* I'm so sorry, Ron. I'm.. I'm…" her speech trails off when she tries to grab my hands and finds only one. She looks at the empty sleeve and the eyepatch. She jumps away from me as if an electric jolt went through her body. "No. Oh no. What have I done to you? NO! Stay away. Don't come any closer. I'm going to hurt you again. No. I've told you to stay back." I don't listen to her nonsense and pull he back to me.

"Sshh. It's okay. It's not your fault." She shakes her head in denial.

"Yes! Yes it is. If I had listened to you none of this would…. Your eye. Your arm. *sob* I'm sorryyyy." Her pain is echoing in my heart. I can't bear to see her like this. I've been mulling over and over while in the hospital. I've tried to understand who was at fault for my wounds. Kimberly? Definitely not. Shego? She didn't even scratch me that night. Drakken? Not even him.

No. There is one sole responsible for these wounds. Me. just like I've told my mother before.

"No Kim. It's not your fault. It's mine." She looks at me with a bewildered expression. She's about to retort but I stop her. "Yes. My fault. When you didn't believe be that night I chose to go anyway. I don't know what could have happened if you came along but we could be both be wounded or worst. I managed to do what I did just because Drakken focus was on you. If you were to be with me I don't know what it could have happened."

"B- But I came with you then…."

"Then Eric would have taken half the school hostage. It doesn't take a genius to see that those drones were there as a bargaining chip to keep you away from him. What would we have done if Drakken threatened our schoolmates when we'd got there to face him? Let's face it Kim. Drakken big plan failed epically only because it actually succeeded with you." I let this concept sink into her brain. It's difficult to accept that we actually got the best case scenario, given the circumstances. I spent a lot of time thinking about 'what ifs' in the past two weeks and I couldn't come up with a better course of action. "Drakken played us both Kim wonderfully. There is no use in denying it." She nods.

"You're right. But how is that any different?*sniff* You are wounded, hurt. He might have taken over the world but then you wouldn't been hurt." Oh Kim. How I would have liked to have you chose me over the whole world that night. But we can't walk down this path anymore now, can we? No. Not now at least.

"It was my choice Kim. Not yours. I knew the risks. I knew that I was risking my arm when I stuffed it into that box. It's my fault for letting my ego get the best of me when I was about to take down Eric." Cold hard facts.

"No. You didn't have a choice. If you didn't do what you did then the world…"

"We always have a choice Kim. Some are easier than others, but we always have a choice. And I've made mine." She's reluctant to accept it. Especially after a month of feeling guilty.

"Still… Still, I should have believed you." This is the difficult part.

"Yes you should have." My statement hits her slap on the face. It's my moment. I have to break her now. Destroy the pieces of her heart that are bleeding. "But did I ever give you a reason to?" She looks at me bewildered.

"W-what are you talking about? You were right. You were telling the truth and I didn't believe you."

"That's hindsight, Kim. As accurate and pointless as ever. Yeah I was right. And so were you. I was jealous Kim. I wanted nothing else but to take you away from Eric." I have to tell her. Admit to her and to myself. My mistakes. My feelings. "I… had this huge crush on you for the longest time Kim." I see from her eyes that her mind is putting the pieces together. Small things. Clues. She realize. She knows. Her lower lips is quivering. I have to strike the iron until is hot. "I liked you, no, loved you for as long as I remember Kim. I wanted to tell you that night. I wanted to come at Prom at tell you, in front of everybody. Thank God I didn't have the chance to do that."

"Because I would have rejected you. Oh Ron I…"

"No. Let me finish. Yes you would have rejected me. And that would have been the smartest thing to do." She can't believe what's coming out of my mouth. "Let's face it Kim, you were right. I've been childish for a long time. It hurt me that you didn't believe me but I got that coming. I was never one to be trusted."

"No, NO! You've always been the best friend that I could…." I cut her again.

"Maybe I've been a good friend, but have I been a good man? No Kim. I kept running away. Never trying, always procrastinating. Picking the easiest choice ten times out of ten. And that's the point. Please don't misunderstand me, but you would have been the easy choice Kimberly. You knew me for the person I was. I wouldn't have to try and be a better person with you. If by some ridiculous reason you and me got together what would have happened to me? Nothing. That's the point. I would have kept being the scared slacker with no confidence that I've always been. And in the long run it would have ruined us. Rejecting me was the best thing that you could ever do to me Kim. It simply happened at a bad time and for the wrong reason. Or at the best time if we consider the ultimate outcome."

My words, my confession left her almost slaw jacked. Today I'm turning all she knew about me upside down more than that night a month ago.

"But.. but you can't just forgive me like this. What I've done was…"

"Actually I can Kim. I can and I have to."

"Why? I don't understand."

"Because we both made mistakes Kim. Mine are bigger than yours. It's only a matter of timing the fact that yours had a greater consequence. I have to forgive you because it's the only way for me to forgive myself. I need to move forward. I want to move forward. I need to pick the pieces and get the best out of it. For the first time in my life things aren't simple. And I couldn't be happier about it." I release her from my hug and stand back up.

"Maybe… But I can't forgive myself that easily Ron. I just can't."

"Then don't! I can't forgive you in your place. The path to redemption is upward Kim, but I'm not going to hold back. That's the answer." She looks at me like she's hanging by my words. "I'm going to improve. I don't know what path I'm going to walk from now on, but I'm going to give everything I've got and more. I'm going to learn from my mistake and be a better person. And you? Will you keep up with me? I'm challenging you Kim. Can you keep up with me?" Word by word, piece by piece she raise from her bed a little straighter.

"C-check my name." And just like that it's back. I can see it in her eyes. Her natural Kimness is back. It's just a spark, but it's enough for her to work on and to overcome her guilt. It's going to be though from now on. For her more than me. I'm used to second guessing myself while she is not. But she will make it, I know that. She might doubt it from time to time, but I just know. "I swear it, Ron. I'm not going to let you down anymore." And with those words the last damage made by Drakken is reversed. Team Possible is back.

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Author notes:

YEAH! This one was difficult but I've made it. I'm very proud of this one and I hope you like it as I do. Things between Kim and Ron are better now that they faced each other, but with Ron feelings out in the open thing might get awkweird from now on. Or not. To see how their relationship is going to be keep reading. Next chapter will be out soon. Maybe.

See ya!


	25. Home

**Chapter 15 - Home

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"We should really go downstairs, Kim. You mother was worried sick about you." She blinks a couple of times before answering as if shaking the sleepiness out of her system.

"Yeah. Right. Uhh Give a me few minutes." And without waiting for an answer she slip into the bathroom. A moment later I can hear the sound of water running and cabinets being opened and closed. It's a refreshed and better looking Kimberly that comes out of the room 10 minutes later. Her hairs are groomed into a ponytail, that leaves her pale neck exposed and she's wearing a new set of shirt and pants. Her haunted look is still there but she no longer resemble the ghost that she was before.

"Nice job, Kim" I give her my approval with a thumb up and she smiles back "Can we go now?" I turn around and head to the hatch when a sudden pull on my shirt stops me in my track. Kimberly is tugging my shirt while looking downward. Is there something wrong? "You ok, Kim?"

"Uhmm.. Ron?" Still not looking at me. Should I be worried?

"Hm? What's wrong?" she takes a moment before answering.

"Do… do you want to give us a try? As a couple I mean…." I freeze. /Yes! Oh, Yes! Tell her yes!/

"I.. I don't think that would be a really good idea right now, Kim." /WHAT? Are you out of your mind? Oh. Right. We are./

Her head snaps up. Such a dejected look in her eyes.

"Why? I thought you said… Oh. You don't like me anymore, right?" No. Wrong way there, Kim. She's looking down again.

"Kim. Kim look at me." I raise her chin with my hand "Despite the fact that you've been treating yourself badly lately, there is no way in Hell that I don't like you anymore. "

"Then why? I mean if…." I cut her.

"For too many reasons, Kim. First and foremost, we just went through an emotional storm of such power that I'm barely standing. Right now, if I were to give in to my feeling we would be laying on your bed, sans clothing." If her blush is any indication, that picture went right into her head. "But that's just me being a guy. And you? You just came back from a very bad place, Kim. And you are desperately trying to make things up to me. Easy choice, remember?" She nods. She looks a little ashamed "We are not thinking straight right now. But let us put that aside and look at each other. We are changing, Kim. Both of us, and at a very fast rate. We… we need to come to terms with who we are individually before getting into a closer relationship. Do you think that we could manage not to hurt each other again in a situation like this? I don't think so. We barely repaired the damage we have done. Heck! I've never even been to a proper date until now and... I don't really want to stick the finger in it, but your experience with boys so far pretty much suck. Don't look at me like that, Kim. I'm right and you know it. How many boyfriend did you have until now? Eric notwithstanding. Josh? That makes one. And you had what? Three dates with him? I hate to say this Kim but for such an hot girl…" another ferocious blush "...you suck with the opposite sex even more than I do. Was I wrong at any point Kim?" She shakes her head while looking down, trying to hide her blush. I won't take any of it. Once more I raise her face to look at me. "I've never been the brightest bulb in the box, Kim. Never was, and probably never will. But there is a thing that I know without the shade of a doubt. I love you, Kim. I really do. And you feel the same, I know it. You wouldn't have gone to such a deep end if you felt anything less for me." Her skin is matching the color of her hairs, but she isn't denying it. Good. "But are we in love with each other? I'm not so sure. That's why we shouldn't become a couple right now. We need to let things settle down, get comfortable with each other again, try to date someone else and understand what we really feel and what we want from ourselves. We owe each other more than a rushed up relationship made to cover up some guilt. I love you too much to hurt you this way. I don't want to hurt you, Kimberly, ever."

The hint of a smile bring light to her features. God, I want to kiss those lips so badly. I must hold on. /The hell are you saying? Kiss her you dork!/

She embraces me sweetly before whispering in my ears.

"Thank you, Ron. For saving us from a big mistake. Thank you." We pull apart. As her arms leave my shoulder I can't help but notice her wrist. I grab her arm before she has a chance to pull it away. She looks at me strangely before realizing "Ah! That is…"

"Also… If you love me or anybody in your family… don't hurt yourself again either. I don't want to live in a world that has no Kim Possible in it, ok?" I kiss the scars gently. The blush conquer her face once more despite the few drops of tears in her eyes. I find myself in that hug again.

"I promise. I won't do that again." We pull apart again and the tears are gone. Only smiles and happy faces from now on. Good. That's how things should always be.

"Shall we go?" I hint to the hatch with a nod of the head.

"Sure." She release my hand that she was still holding from before. "Tell me one more thing, Ron. Since when do you understand girl so well?" Oh boy. She didn't get it, did she?

"I don't understand girls at all, Kim. I understand you. And I've been running away for the better part of my seventeen years, so I can pretty much tell when somebody is doing the same." This brings out a chuckle. A musical sound that was missing from within these walls for far too long.

"So, Ron managed to cheer you up again, Kimmie." Anne is waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. "It's good to hear you laugh again, Kim. I've missed it." The two woman embrace.

"I'm sorry if I made you worry, Mom. It won't happen again." Anne shakes her head.

"Silly girl. Worrying for their children is what parents do." Then she turns to me. "Thank you Ron. You saved my girl as usual. I really don't know what we are ever going to do without you." I can feel the sincerity in her voice and it takes a great effort not to hug her again.

"And you are never going to find out if I can help it, Anne." she saves me from the trouble of not hugging her by hugging me first. Kim is looking at us with a questioning look. She isn't used to her me call her mom by her first name.

"Thank God for that, Ronald. Thank God for that." I'm about to answer her when the door is burst open by a worried James Possible.

"Anne! What happened? Is Kim all right? You didn't tell me... Oh my God!" MrDrP is looking at me like Anne did before when I showed up on her door. Well, he doesn't pass out at least. She release me from her embrace and I stand in front of the man that I love as a Father. "Ronald?" he looks at me and then glance beyond my shoulders where Anne is standing, searching for confirmation. He must have found the answer he was hoping for because when he looks back at me his eyes are watery. He grabs my shoulder in an iron grip as if to confirm that I'm not a ghost and then he proceed to examine me. From head to toe he takes in my new appearance, my wounds, and when he's finished he hugs me like he never did before. "I don't know how this is possible, son, but I'm glad that you are here."

"So am I, father. So am I." it's a whisper that only he can hear but it's enough. We guys don't like too much mushy stuff between us and the hug is quickly broken.

"Oh! For the love of God. You can cry just for once, you big softie." Anne is mocking her husband mercilessly, but she's trying to hold back the tears herself.

"Please Anne. I'm trying to keep some dignity here. You are not helping at all."

"Don't bother MrDrP, you can live pretty much without it. I'll guarantee you that. I mean, look at me. I've gave up on mine after the third time I dropped my pants on TV. Didn't bother me at all, did it?" I can't help but give my two cents. The rooms goes silent for a moment before everyone start laughing, me included. The Buffoon is back and the audience is having fun. Now I really am at home. "Right! And with the funny interlude gone we can finally get down to business. I owe you guys an explanation and it's going to take some time. It's better if we get ourselves comfortable." They all nod.

"I'll make some coffee. Kim, would you mind grabbing some drinks? Jim, Tim. The snacks! This is a story that I don't want to miss." They all bolt in different directions while James leads me to the couch.

A few minutes later we are settled and the story can begin. Being in a much better shape than last time, I tell the tale of than night with a little more emphasis. It would be an incredible story if not for the fact that I've got the wounds to prove it. When I show them the scar that Legacy left on my chest when he got inside me Anne goes in surgeon mode. I'm floored by her questions about the results of the tests they run on me in the hospital.

"All I can tell for the time being is that Legacy isn't acting like a parasite. More like a symbiote. I believe that when Legion asked me to take care of it, they knew that I would have died that night or at least got pretty close to it. I mean, I was way outnumbered and outclassed . It wasn't that hard to imagine. Well. They helped me out and they saved my life. The best I can do to thank them is trust them with this." I pat my chest. "I don't think that it will harm me. No, I'm quite sure that whatever it is, it's going to help me when I need it. Right now they are the reason why I can't have an artificial arm and eye. Dr. Stevenson told me that since they are working like my white cells, they might react badly to the presence of another artificial part. There are still looking into it."

"I can't believe that my Hepahestus is the source of this thing. Dear God Anne. I can't believe that our research were combined into... this." I don't want them to blame themselves for this.

"MrDrP... James. It's not your fault. This is actually the best thing that came out from the whole situation. While I feel sorry for Legion I'm happy that I have this thing inside me. Your research gave me my life back. Now I feel like I'm really your son." While they are touched by my words they don't seem to take the my opinion for good.

"Thanks Ron, but you were a part of our family even without that thing in your body. Beside If I had never created that stuff and Anne wrote that book than..." Oh no. Enough guilt trips.

"No! Let us not get there. I'm never had the best grades in History but you don't need to be a college graduate to know that mankind always made the worst out of the best. I don't want you to blame yourselves over the crimes of that Smurf, ya hear? He has proven over and over that he's willing to steal and destroy for his ambitions. You are not responsible for his mistakes more than Kim is responsible for mine. Are we clear? Good." Their answer is a numb nod. They are looking at me slaw jacked. All of them. Oh right. I've got used already to be a more assertive person but they aren't. Ah well. No use in worrying about that now. I am what I is. "Good. That should be everything. I'm sorry that I can't tell you more about the sword, but it's safe. Trust me. Kim knows about it, well partially at least. I'd like to tell you all about it but..."

"It's okay Ron. We understand that you were entrusted with a secret, and the fact that you are willing to keep that from us just proves that you are trustworthy. Don't worry about that."

"Thanks. That means a lot and... Oh shiii... Err... Look at the time. Betty is going to give the announcement any time now. It's my chance to get over to my house unnoticed. If our bet is right those reporters are going to look for me in all the wrong places since I haven't been home for a while. Also, Kim you must be ready for next Monday. When school opens again you can bet that those wolves will be there to get a piece of us. I'll call you later tomorrow. We should come up with a common story. I don't want the media to chew on you more than they already did." My concern brings a smile to the women of the Possible Clan.

"Thank you Ron. You are looking out for me as usual. I appreciate it."

"I've got your back Kim. Don't ever doubt it. Well, Possible Clan. I've really got to go." I walk to the door with Kim "Oh, Kim, take this." I give her a brand new cell phone. "GJ newest gimmick. It's nowhere close to your Kimmunicator but it has an high level encryption for every call. Every call to another phone of the same type I mean. Sadly Wade s' lair was trashed and it will take him a while to get back to the same point as before. Last I've heard GJ was sponsoring him, but I'm not sure how faster it will actually make things. I mean, if GJ is keeping its standards then that money is going to be there when the job's done already." She chuckles.

"Yeah. I can see that. Thanks Ron. Again and again."

"Don't mention it." I give her a chaste kiss on the cheek. I'm rewarded by a slight blush. That's just so cute. "Possible Clan, I'll see you soon. Later!" And I slip out of the door before James can threaten me with a trip to the closest star system.

With things finally in order I can look to the future without fearing the past. I make my way to my house. House not Home. Home is the place I've just left. The coast is clear. Wonderful. As Betty predicted those hounds left as soon as the press conference was announced. Great. I can finally get some well deserved R&R. Boy it was a long day. There is no way in hell that this is going to get any more intense.

...

Not good. I shouldn't have thought that. As I slip the key in the lock of the front door I have the dread feeling that I'm about to be proven wrong about that last idea. Very soon. I open the door.

"OH FUCK!"

Now THIS is something I'd never expected.

* * *

Author Note:

There goes the chance for a relationship between Ron and Kim. For the time being at least. This is still a Ron/Many kind of story, which it doesn't mean that it's going to be an harem, only that during the course of this tale Ron is going to have many... let's say close encounters... with different persons of the opposite sex. It could be at the same time or not. I'm not sure if I'm going to write any smut yet. I feel like it's an excuse to bring readers and I don't like that. If I feel that it fits well in the story I will, but I'm not making any promises. Anyway for this reason I felt that paring him up with Kim at this point would pretty much close any chance for Ron to get involved with other girls, without breaking the two apart again. It would be boring and repetitive and it would make the last three chapter totally useless. I hope that I've managed to make the interaction realistic in this chapter as well. Now, what exactly has Ron found inside his house? All bets are open. You have time until the chapter after the next to tell me.

The next two are both Interludes and the first one is Red (You might have noticed that I've removed the numbers in those). I won't tell you the color of the one after that since it would actually spoil the content. Last thing: I'm trying to put some humor here and there in this story. I'm not sure if I've managed to make you laugh at any point, but I hope I did. Please let me know.

About the reviews: I'm honored and humbled by the support and the appreciation you all have showed me so far. I'm happy that you all liked the previous chapter, since I've given it a lot of thought from the first stage of this story. You are the best readers that I could hope for and that gives me the will to write even more and even better. I will give my best to live up to your expectation as a writer. Thank you very much. Goodbye.


	26. Interlude Red Hero

**Interlude Red – Hero

* * *

**

He left. I'm here standing in the hallway with my face burning from the embarrassment. That… that… Argh. He had to kiss me in front of my family, did he?

"Kimberly?" Mom is calling me and she seems worried. Dad on the couch has the very same look. The Twins don't want to look at me. Period.

"What is it, Mom?"

"Come, follow me in the kitchen." And we head into the next room "Listen Kim, I know that you are happy that Ron is okay and that you are feeling better right now, but…" Uh? What is she getting to?

"I'm not following you, Mom."

"What I'm saying is…. Well you shouldn't rush things up with him, ok? Feelings are tricky and if the two of you…" I can't help but chuckle.

"Mom, Mom. You got it all wrong."

"Oh? Don't think that I didn't see how you looked at him." I can feel my face flare up.

"Mooom. It's not like that. Well it is like that, but we spoke up there, ok? Not only about what happened but about the future as well. About us."

"Reeeally? And what conclusion did you reach, exactly?" She crosses her arms and she looks at me with the smug look of someone who's waiting for some juicy gossip. Honestly, Mom.

"Well, he pretty much said that we shouldn't rush things and… and…." I can't help but recall his face and his words. My face is burning.

"Yes…?" she raises an eyebrow with an enquiring look.

"I.. I actually asked him to date and he… he turned me down." Not exactly what she expected?

"Really? That's odd. I'm pretty sure that he had a thing for you. And that kiss before leaving…"

"Mom. Please. It's not… It's not that he doesn't like me. At least that what he said… It's just… he said that we are too confused about each other to get into that kind of relationship. Ah! For the moment at least." My voice is a whisper now, so that only Mom can possibly hear. "He actually said that he loves me too much to hurt me in a rushed relationship." If I can get any more red I'm going to burst.

"For real? Did he say it like that? Ron?" I know. It surprised me too.

"Yeah. He was actually pretty smooth with words up there. He said that he had been thinking about it for at least two weeks. Mom, I'm so confused. When he told me that he loves me… I felt.. I felt…. I don't know what I felt but it was powerful. I was happy…. And I was scared. I'm actually ok about taking things slow, but I'm not! Do I even make sense anymore?" she smiles at me softly.

"You do Kim. In a twisted kind of way. I'm relieved that Ron was wise enough to take the time to sort things out. You should do the same as well, ok? He's alive Kim. You have all the time to make things right. In whatever direction you are going to go with him." I nod. "Good."

"He.. he saved me, Mom. He saved me. From myself. He always did. He… he's my hero." She looks at me with such love in her eyes. For me. And maybe for him as well.

"He saved us all Kim. This family. We have still a lot of way in front of us, but we can make it now. So yes. I guess he is our hero, isn't he?" He is. He really is. "Let's get back. That press conference is about to begin. I swear that I'm going to strangle that woman for not telling us about Ron."

"Me too. Let's go. I want to hear what they have to say."

We reach the others that are waiting in front of the TV. On the screen the face of Dr. Director is talking to the press."….for these reasons we could not divulge the fact that Mr. Ron Stoppable is in fact alive and well." Ack. We missed the beginning. The conference room is in uproar. The reporters are screaming questions over questions but Dr. Director doesn't seem willing to feed the wolves. Finally order is restored and the conference can proceed. "For security reason we cannot divulge is location at the moment. Questions?"

A woman in the crowd stands up and ask "What about the involvement of Miss Possible? Is there a specific reason why she did not participate in that night events? What about the rumors about a fallout between team members?" A familiar feeling of guilt creeps up my stomach.

"I'm not in the position to comment on that. As far as I know there has been some kind of miscommunication between Mr. Stoppable and Miss Possible, but if the concern he expressed in the previous days about Miss Possible well being is any indication I doubt that such rumors can be trusted. Furthermore, Miss Possible was being held captive along with her schoolmates during that night. I don't see how she could take part in the raid at Bueno Nacho HQ." Did.. did Ron worry about me? Even after I hurt him? Oh God. I have really been a fool.

Another person, a man this time raises from the crowd.

"I have on a very good basis that Mr. Stoppable and Miss Possible had a 'very heated discussion' earlier that night and another boy was involved. Care to enlighten us about that?" Ouch. The mention of Eric still hurts. How could I have picked that… that.. thing over him?

"I don't have anything to say about that. The sentimental interaction of teenagers is not the concern of Global Justice." Way to get yourself out of the storm Betty. But you are right. It's none of your business after all.

"Then what exactly is the concern of Global Justice lately? It strike us as mildly ironic the fact that one of those teenagers you don't concern yourselves with, had the merit of closing the gap of your shortcomings." Too true. Luckily the focus seems to drift away from me and Ron.

"While I don't wish to deny our responsibilities in that night events, I'm saddened to say that Global Justice could not move with the elements in our hand. The very same laws that grant the citizen of the US their freedom, prevent us to act without solid proof of a criminal act. While Mr. Stoppable informed us about Dr. Lipsky plan, a very unbelievable plot if you think about it, we could not act until he made his move. All transactions made by Dr. Lipsky to acquire the majority of the Bueno Nacho Enterprises where completely legal. It gave us no ground to proceed legally until it was too late. We are extremely grateful to Mr. Stoppable for his contribution that night. While we cannot repay him in any way we are actively working together to define a new line of action for such cases." A new buzz goes through the crowd gathered there.

"Are you saying that Mr. Stoppable, a minor, has actually joined the ranks of Global Justice?"

"Absolutely not. No minor can join Global Justice. Mr. Stoppable will cooperate with us as a consultant in dealing with non-standard threats."

"What exactly is a non-standard threat?"

"We define non-standards all those individuals, you may call them lunatics, that don't usually associate themselves with other known terroristic organizations and are therefore extremely difficult to track. I'm saddened to say that Mr. Stoppable has developed a lot of valuable experience over the years about such threats. His cooperation will be fundamental both in targeting such threats beforehand and in defining an new set of laws that will allow Global Justice to act in circumstances were we would be otherwise unable to, without compromising the rights of the rest of the citizens."

"What about Dr. Lipsky? Do you think that he will be sentenced to the death penalty?" Eh? Are they going to kill him? Just like that?

"It's not my place to make such statements. An international jury from the UN will lead the trial to Dr. Lipsky next month. As you know very well he has been charged of 'crimes against humanity'. Should those charges stick he will be facing extreme consequences. However I'd like to leave such judgment to the jury that will lead his trial. Other questions?" Another woman stands up from the crowd.

"You said that you couldn't confirm the fact that Mr. Stoppable is alive due to safety measures. Yet the criminal known as Shego, Dr. Lipsky most trusted operative, is still at large. How does it fit in your statement that there are no more direct threats to the life of Mr. Stoppable?"

"Miss Shego is merely an hired hand. Her loyalties don't go so far to risk capture for the sake of revenge. While she is still wanted for her association in the Diablo Invasion she is not considered an high priority. Next question?"

"Is there any chance that Mr. Stoppable is going to be available for an interview any time soon?"

"Despite what you may think, I'm not Mr. Stoppable agent. However I'm aware of the fact that he will schedule a press conference sometime next week. That's all I know. Anything else? Then we are finished. Good day."

The press conference is over. Every channel was transmitting it. Three is going a lot to deal with in the coming days. He needs my help. Now more than ever. I'm not going to let him alone in this storm. I owe him as much.

But I have to deal with my own problems in this moment. The tweebs are still avoiding me like a plague. I need to pin them down. I follow them to their lair in the basement. Not an appreciated gesture.

"What do you want?" their tone is not conciliatory. It's going to be tough.

"I- I'd like to speak with you guys."

"Pity. We don't want to talk with you."

"B-but…" the slamming door is their answer. No luck. It's going to be difficult to reach them. I can't complain after all, I brought it upon myself. Their grudge might be somewhat childish but they are right. No matter how Ron tried to take the responsibilities upon himself I can't deny my share. But I won't give up. I need to face the results of my arrogance and selfishness If want to improve. It hurts but it won't hold me back. Not now that Ron is waiting for me to reach him. I'll be there Ron, with you. You can count on it.

"Kimmie-cub" my father is calling me from the hallway. His voice calls my eyes away from the wooden door in front of me. I make my way form the place where my father is calling me and I find him resting on the couch, a steaming cup of coffee in his hands. On the table in front of him there is another cup, for me I guess. He gesture me to sit beside him on the couch and I comply immediately. I take the my cup and I blow into it to make it cool faster. I'm about to take the first sip when dad talks againg. "Give them some time Kimmie. They will come through it." His words bring me some comfort. Not yet enough to dissipate the cold feeling in the pit of my stomach. Still, they bring a pleasurable warmth.

"I certainly hope so Dad. I screwed up bad this time. Real bad. I-I don't know how any of you still want to look my in the face. What I did was…" he cuts me off.

"A mistake Kimberly. It was a mistake and nothing more. One of those things we humans do sometimes. Usually at the worst moment possible. No amount of mistakes is going to make us love even a little more. Don't even question that, Kimmie." I'd be crying right now if not for the fact that I've cried too much already.

"Thank you dad. Thank you. I- I want you to know that I'm really sorry about… you know…."

"Yes I know. Listen up Kimberly and listen well. I've lost my job due to Drew inability to grow past a juvenile grudge, and I've almost lost a son and a daughter as well. Let me tell you something about the first. I've always loved my job. To me pursuing the stars was a dream that I chased since childhood. Because of this reason I've always walked with my nose up in the air without really caring about what happened here on earth. Then one night, while I was walking with the eyes to the stars, instead of watching where I was going, I stumbled into a person. It was your mother Kim. The day I started to realize that not everything that I wanted to look at was up there. But the day that I've truly realized, truly knew, that no matter how far my gaze could travel across the space, not matter how bright the stars could shine, what I really wanted to look at was here on earth, it was the day you were born Kimmie." I can't make it. I can't keep the tears inside. "So don't think, even for a minute, that there is something out there that I would trade you for. Today, the star that I'd would have never given up to was given back to me. And I have that boy to thank for it. And for all the times in the past that he did the same. I have everything that I could ever really want right here, right now. So stop dwelling on things of little importance. Understood?" My answer is a bone-breaking hug. I never knew, never realized just how much I am loved, needed, in this house. And I had the silly idea of running away from this? No more. No more. I swear with all my soul that I'm never going to let any of these people down.

On the door Mom is looking at us with the happiest face I've ever seen. The road ahead is long and difficult, but I'm not alone. I know now. I've never been alone.

* * *

Author Note:

Another touching moment in the Possible Household. But enough with the mushiness, next interlude is going to shake Ron world a little more. In more than one way.

Coming next:

Interlude – Green – Trouble

Ps: Kim haters: This is a story about Ron growing up. I happen to believe that by blaming others for your mistakes and hold onto grudges born from such behavior you are not going to grow up. Being a badass is a state of mind, not a matter of power. Those who hold onto their own hate and hurt aren't capable of walking down this road. For these reason Ron had to realize where he went wrong and understand that others are liable to make similar errors. Can you forgive your mistakes without forgiving theirs? If you can, I'm in no hurry to know you. Just a personal consideration. The general rule 'Don't like, don't read' still applies.

Goodbye.


	27. Interlude Green Trouble

**Interlude – Green – Trouble

* * *

**

Awesome. Two weeks in this hole and I'm already going to burst. There is nothing interesting to read and watching TV is out of the question unless I'm really careful about it. Sunbathing isn't really an option either. I might as well be in a GJ cell now. If not for the fact that coming out of it will probably mean death. How did I get in this shit? Oh yeah, right. I've actually trusted Dr. D with a plan without knowing the details. After years of working for him I haven't learned a thing. Oh. Come one. Like it was his fault this time. The plan was actually good. I couldn't figure it out so it had to be. Who would have thought that the Buffoon would actually step up like that. In a team he shines I'll give him that. But solo? That guy couldn't tell his elbow from his ass. Argh! This is so frustrating. And the way he played me. Me of all people. Deception should be my first weapon and yet I let a teenager who never shined for intellect beat me at my own game.

…

No that's not it. It's not the defeat that hurts. The cheerleader kicked my ass plenty and it never burned this much. No what really pains me is that I begged. Me. I've never begged. Eck! I usually don't even ask. I just take what I want. But he made me beg. Twice. Shit! I've got nightmare about that day for months after it.

"_Sidekicks need to know their place. Riiiight?"_

I couldn't get close to a pool for a month after that without trembling.

"_Let's make things clear Shego. I don't take lightly to those who oppose me. You either work for me or you don't work at all. Are you with me here?"_

"_*SPLASH*GASP* Yes!*COUGH*Yes! Please… I'll do whatever you want… just… Please! Let me out of here._"

I hate him. I hate him. The only person I hate more than him is myself. How could I allow him to turn me into that… that… Grr.. But what can I do about it? He's dead. And even if he wasn't I couldn't do a thing anyway. That night, when I met him on the stairs I wanted to burn his ass so badly, but I couldn't. Something in his eyes told me that if I took things too far with him I wouldn't even have the chance to regret it. There was something in his eyes that had nothing of the Buffoon or even of Zorpox. I hate it. I hate it. I hate that moment. I can't believe myself. Did I actually felt attracted to that… clown? Still, I can't deny it. When our eyes met on those stairs, before leaving, for a split moment I wanted to… urgh!

Aahhh! Let us leave the dead to their rest. It's not like it's going to be a problem anymore.

I got away lightly after all. If I had tried to drag Drew ass out of there I would be sharing a cell with him by now. I swear I've never seen such a mobilization. This time we aren't going to slip away and being forgotten. We went too far and failed epically. I can only hope that I won't be found here. I mean, who would ever look for me in this place? Even those reporters are starting to come less and less. I can pretty much slip out at night and be back here with foods and drinks.

Ah! How the mighty have fallen. I used to break in the most guarded places in the world to steal valuables or state of the art technologies, and here I am now. Sneaking out at night to get some food like a stray dog. All these years and this is where I got myself? Irony is a bitch. He would definitely laugh at me. Like he did that night. He was right. All along. I'm a loser. I lost everything. He took away from me my life and I've lost that little I had left myself. Pathetic. Then that Buffoon comes around and that mockery of a life I've built for myself was shattered. Uh. I guess I've got that coming. We came up with the idea of breaking up the team first. That sure backfired on us. Talk about epic fail. But who would have ever thought that Stoppable…. Oooh! Enough! There is no use in crying over split milk. The Buffoon is dead and Drew is beyond help. Eck! I'm beyond help. There is no place to run for me. Even If I manage to break him out where could we go? There is enough of a bounty on my head that any scum of a man would risk jail only to cash that money. I can't trust anyone. These wounds prove it plenty. I can only stay here and hope that nobody ever tries to check the place properly.

On that note, it's better if I take a peek at the news. If something juicy came out I might get enough of a clue to stay downwind. Where did I put that remote? Oh, there it is… Let's see… News, news, news. Hey isn't that Dr. Director? Did something big happen again? Is this about Drew?

"There are still some information that are …" Yadda, yadda, yadda. Hmm? Is this about the Buffoon again? These martyrs sure are… "…for these reasons we could not divulge the fact that Mr. Ron Stoppable is in fact alive and well."…eh? What did she just say? "For security reason we cannot divulge his location at the moment. Questions?"

Oh. Oh. I see.

SHIT! I'm in trouble! I got to get the hell out of here. Pack everything and find…

*CLACK*

"OH FUCK!"

* * *

Author note:

Here we are. As many have guessed the uninvited guest is Shego. Why the hell is she there? And what's going to happen now? Read and find out.

PS: I'm feeling a little sick laterly. It might slow me down but I hope to upload the next chapter by Monday. See ya!


	28. Deal

**Chapter 16 – Deal

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**

We stare at each other for an undefined time. My mind is blank. I can't associate the sight in front of me with reality. Shego is here. In my house.

"Uuuh… Hello there Stoppable, good to see you are alive…ah ah ah…ahhhh." Another intense moment of awkweirdness, then my mind finally kicks in.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?" I step inside slamming the door behind me. "Have you come to finish the job? Well I'm not going to…uh?" The image finally sink in my brain and I can't help but notice what she's wearing. A pair of black shorts and a red jersey. My stuff! Why? Why did she have to wear my favorite clothes? /And why do they never look so sexy on me?/ "What is the meaning of this?" Yeah keep looking at her in the eyes. No wandering on those long, slender, mint hued legs that are so nicely coming out of the shorts you usually wear. I SAID LOOK UP!

"Uhmm.. it's a long story, you see…."

"Wait. Now that I think about it, I don't really want to know. Get the hell out of here!" she looks around trying to decide the best course of action. "I'm not kidding, Shego. Get. The fuck. Out. Before I'll throw you myself." Her lost look flicker away to leave place to her usual snarling behavior.

"You sure got balls to talk to me like that. Think you can order me around, Buffoon?" /Oooh? Is she looking for troubles?/ "You think that you can take me on like that?" She points to my arm. "You can barely survive with all your limbs. Do you think that you can do better now? Are you out… of your… mind..?" After a long time I finally have a reason to fully dip into my insanity. I let 'The Grin' conquer my face as 'The Buffoon' gives up control to 'The Jester' .

"As a matter of fact, Shego, I am! Do you want to discover how much? You really haven't learned a thing." The amusement in my voice is all the incentive she needs triggers her powers. The room is washed by the green glow.

"No! I won't let you! STAY BACK!" Despite her bold attitude she is obviously scared. I take in the sight of the bandages around her arm and legs. She winces when my look shift from there to her eyes again. She's weakened. I'm missing an arm but I can see her tremble for the effort of standing.

Sigh. I would like so much to smack her pretty face once more. /But I can't. Even as the 'The Jester' I am still myself. I can't just beat up a wounded woman when there are other options./ We are too much of a good guy./Fine!/

The Jester fades away. Without the promise of some fun he just won't came out. Shego looks at me oddly, like she is finally convinced that I'm insane. Took her long enough.

"W-what are you doing? What the hell is wrong with you?" I step forward and closer to her. She shift a little lower not without some pain. I'm almost in front of her when I turn left and head to the kitchen. I come out a minute later with two glasses and a bottle of juice. She is still there in the same position, like she is waiting for me to pull some kind of trick and jump on her like last time. I completely disregard her and walk to the couch. I place the stuff in my hands on the table before making myself comfortable. In the meanwhile she must have understood that I won't try to attack her for the time being. "Stoppable… What are you doing?" she's standing straighter now and her hands are glowing softer.

"Trying to prove just how insane I am by listening to what you have to say, when kicking you out of the door would be both wiser and easier. So make yourself comfortable, Shego. Not that you need any invitation to do just that." She's totally lost by my behavior. Is she still trying to figure out if it's a trap?/ I love messing with her mind!/

Finally her powers are completely turned off. She walks around to sit in front of me, never removing her stare. She sit with one leg crossed on the other. It takes me some effort to shift my gaze from there to her. She's smirking. Busted!

"So… care to explain why are you in my house?" she looks at me with a typical 'Duh!' expression.

"I was hiding, obviously."

"Hiding? Hiding from whom? Oh wait! Are you actually telling me that you came here to hide from GJ? When you are wanted for the plot that supposedly killed me? And I'm supposed to be out of my mind?" she looks sheepish at that.

"Yeah well…I found myself lacking better options and… this is pretty much the closest thing to the crime scene without actually BEING the crime scene. Who would ever come looking for me here? I have been almost undisturbed for the past two weeks and an half." Eeeeh?

"W-What? You've been hiding her that long? B-b-but! There must have been an hell of reporters out there for some time. And…and GJ must have come to take a peek around. My parents must have dropped by sometime that week before leaving for Europe…. Are you telling me that no one noticed you?"

"Oh, please! Like those reporters could ever catch a glimpse of me. And are you actually expecting GJ to be competent at something? When your parents came around I sneaked out to your tree house till they left." I can't help but slap my face.

"I am surrounded by idiots…" perhaps associating with GJ wasn't that smart. Betty, we are in for a tough job.

"Welcome to my life, Stoppable. Even if that sounds odd coming from you." Yeah. I can't deny that.

"Anyway, why are you wearing my clothes? Where is your usual jumpsuit?" she seems a little embarrassed at that.

"You see… it had a few incidents and I didn't have anything else to wear."

"But why my stuff? Why not something from my mother?"

"Yeah. Cause that would have been smart. Think Stoppable! What if she came back and didn't find her stuff? You were, well, dead and not in need of a change of clothes. At least I thought so. And with the rate you usually lose your pants it was unlikely for her to notice what was missing because I took it." Crap! That actually makes sense.

"And the food? Wouldn't she notice that missing?"

"Not at all. I usually sneak out at night and steal something to eat. And, before you ask, doing the same for clothes was an unnecessary risk, since I had plenty of stuff here. I kept to the attic mostly, but when your parents didn't come back for some time, I thought that they left to someplace more quiet. I started getting relaxed. That's why you found me in front of the TV. So much for keeping my guard up." A moment of silence between us. Then. "So what now?"

"You have to leave obviously. I should rat you out to the authorities, but considering how that worked in the past I can spare myself the effort. Fighting with you is out of the question. I can take you. Don't look at me like that, but I just got out of the hospital. I have no intention to wind up there anytime soon. There are some scary people there that I don't want to meet. So I give you the chance to walk out. Whatever you do out there is your business."

"Errr… No?" Pardon? Did I miss something.

"Excuse me? Shego, you don't have a choice."

"Hmmm… Can I stay here?" then after a moment.."Please?"

"Eh.. WHAT? Shego did you hit your head? Hellooo-oh! We are enemies. You are a wanted criminal. Why the hell should I let you stay here?"

"Because if you don't, I'm dead." Uh. I didn't see that coming.

"What are you talking about?"

"Take a look out there. There was never a mobilization of this type to catch me. If they get their hands on me I'm going to get killed after that mockery of a trial they are going to give Drew. I- I don't have anywhere to run. All my accounts have been frozen. The lairs are exposed and I have a bounty on my head so high that any contact in the underworld would rather rat me out than help me. Look at these.." she point to her bandages. "Think it was the police? Think again. This is the courtesy of my former colleagues. I made the mistake to contact an old friend…" she says it with disdain "…to ask for help and I have found an army waiting for me." Tough luck, lady. Tough luck. There is still a detail that she seems to be forgetting though.

"Why should I even care?" She's taken aback at that "You obviously got that coming. As a matter of fact I might just hand you over to GJ and cash the reward. There are too many upside in not helping you Shego. Please, do tell, what exactly do I have to gain from helping you? Should I remind you that harboring a wanted criminal is a pretty serious offence? I'm at the top of the world right now. Why should I risk it all by associating with you? A reason. Give me one." She looks around, trying to find something worth to trade with me. But she has nothing, I know it already. And she know it too. But.. Uh? Looks like she came up with something. She's biting her lip trying to suppress her pride.

"I'll do whatever you want… If you let me stay here… I'll even have sex with you…"

Ah.

I see.

…

"WHAAAT? Bu… But… Are you serious?" she nods.

"It's not like I have any other options, have I? Either I stay here or I'm dead. It might take them a week or a moth but eventually they will get at me."

"B.. Be it as it may… Why would I even be interested?" Poor attempt. She saw right through it. I am way interested. She's smirking. Not the usual amused smirk, mind you, but the one you might have while screaming 'BINGO' in your mind. She gets up and walks closer

"Oh, come on. You think that I didn't notice? The way your eyes kept running over my legs all this time? And all the times you've been stealing a glance at me when I was fighting Princess? I can tell when a man wants a piece of me, you know." She over me and I'm shrinking back into the sofa. When exactly did our role reverse? "Think about it. You might get some money or you could have…" She runs her an hand on her side, raising the shirt almost to her breast, shoving the pale, alluring, green skin. "…this." The last word is whispered huskily in my ear. I can feel the blood flowing in all the wrong places already. HOLD IT! HOLD IT! FLOW BACK TO THE BRAIN!

It takes an immense effort.

"Are you willing to go that far, Shego?" I push her back enough to watch her again in the eyes "Are you that hopeless, that you would rather slut yourself with me?" I speak in an even tone. It's really difficult to keep the lust from dripping in my voice. She looks dejected. Her previously victorious expression is long gone.

"You think I like it? To do that with you of all people?" She's back on her couch and she's holding her knees to the chest, not looking at me. "But what else can I do? What? I've lost everything. I'm alone."

"Have you done that before? Trading your body for favors?" her eyes snap at me with blazing fury. She didn't like my tone.

"So what if did?" She's snarling. "Don't look at me like that. I asked for your help, not your pity. I might have gone around trading sex for small favors when I needed it, but it was my choice, all right? Don't look down on me. I won't let anyone look down on me." She's back on her feet and her hands are glowing. I stand up as well, ready to defend myself, but she doesn't attack. The glow fades quickly and her hands are now resting at her side.

"*SIGH* I've really hit the bottom. To be rejected even by you. Would you believe it? Ahh… Forget it. I'm out of here." She walks away. She's almost at the door when…

"Deal. I'll help you." Did that really come out of my mouth?

She spins on her heels to look back at me "What?"

"You heard me. I accept your deal." She walks back to me slowly grabbing the hem of the shirt. She's about to pull it over when my hand stops her from doing so. We look at each other for a moment.

"I said that I don't want your pity." I shake my head.

"It's not pity. It's respect." She's looking at me oddly.

"What is there to respect in this?" she's not believing me. I can hardly blame her.

"It's not my place to judge you for your choices. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. No, what I actually respect is that you didn't deny them. You didn't run away from your choices. You stand up with pride even when other people would judge you for it. I respect that. It's something that I would have liked to learn myself."

"That's just so cute. But then, what are you in for?" I smirk. 'The Jester' kind of smirk.

"You said that you would do anything I'd want you to. Good. Are you still in for that?" She nods if a little confused. She must be wondering what I might want from her besides her body. "Congratulation then. From now on, Shego, you work for me."

"W-what? What do you mean? What do you expect me to do?" She doesn't like the fact that I'm not asking her anything specific. It strips her of the little control she had on the situation.

"Whatever I ask you, whenever I ask you. That's what you said, right? Eve-ry-thing! Starting now."

"W-what do I have to do?" I just love messing with her. Serves her right for messing up with my hormones.

"My first order is… Trust me!" she blinks a couple of times

"I'm not good with Trust issues." She tells me bluntly.

"Well then.. You'd better learn real quick, cause I'm about to call GJ." She jumps back.

"B-but you said…"

"I said Trust. Me. Got it?" she's looking around for all possible escapes routes, but as she said, she has nowhere to run. Finally she looks back at me, staring in my eye, and then she nods reluctantly. Good.

I push the quick call button on my cell phone. After the dialing noise is gone the phone rings a couple of time before the person on the other side picks up.

"Betty? It's Ron."

"Ron. So good to hear you. Did you watch the press conference?"

"Actually, I didn't have the chance to. I've barely got home and I've stumbled into a level two threat. The green type. Right in my house. We really need to discuss security once more, you and me."

"WHAT? Is she still there? I'm sending a team right now."

"Save it. I don't need a team. I need you. In person. Alone. And yes she is still here by the way. And she is not hostile."

"Ron this is very irregular. Are you sure? The rules is this case are…"

"Screw rules, Betty. Rules are the reason why I had to do your job, so save it. Now, since the conference is over drag yourself over here. There are some stuff we need to discuss, the three of us. I'll be waiting for you." Without waiting for her answer I cut the conversation. It's better not leaving her a chance to discuss until she gets here.

"Was that Betty Director? As in GJ leader? And you speak to her like that? What's wrong with the world?"

"You know what, Shego? I have been asking myself the same question lately."

"What's your plan?" She's definitely curious about it. Can't blame her.

"You can't hide here forever. You'll have to get out eventually and sooner or later we would both be busted."

"So what? What do you expect me to do?" I can't keep a grin from my face.

"You are going to turn yourself in."

"WHAT? Are you out of your mind?"

"Calm down. I don't plan to simply let you go to jail. We will come up with something to keep you out. Something about cooperating with the good guys for a change. It's gonna be tricky, I know, and you might actually have to spend some time behind bars, but I've been pulling off some very incredible shit lately. With the help of Betty we can make it work. Face it. It's the best chance we have."

"We? Since when there is a 'We' Stoppable?"

"Since when I accepted your deal. I'm going to take my share of shit in this matter. Your skill are far too valuable to let them rot."

"Oh? Is this only about my skills?" There is a playful tone in her voice.

"Well.. The fact that you are extremely hot might have given me a little push in this direction. Just a little, mind you." She smirking again in full force now.

"Then tell me. If you honestly think so, why did you turn down my previous offer? You could still come out with this deal afterwards. I did not put a limit to the number of things you could ask me." There is a genuine curiosity in her voice.

"Shego, you might trade sex for favors, but it's not my style to trade favor for sex. That's just not me. And besides, if I'm really going to do that with you sometime in the future I'd rather like you to do that on your own will." Now she's definitely amused.

"Oh, really? You actually believe that you can seduce me into having sex with you? Are you even going to try?" now she's challenging me. Ok, let's play your game. I let some of 'The Jester' slip into my consciousness. I step forward and grab her by her waist, embracing her tightly, before whispering in her ear.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't. It's not like I have anything to lose, right? Like it or not.. You. Are. Mine. By your own admission, you can't run away. You are stuck with me." I let her go and she step back wide eyed. Well played Stoppable.

"You- you could simply ask me to…."

"Yes, Yes I could. But where would be the fun in that?" Ah. I'm just so cool "Cheer up, Shego. It's going to be a lot of fun from now on. I'll guarantee you that."

"Aww. I'm so looking forward to it." Her tone tells a whole different story though.

Ah well. I just provided myself with a great deal of troubles. Not bad for the first day out of the hospital. I can't help but wonder just how deep is the grave I'm digging for myself?

* * *

Author note:

Did I actually said Monday? I meant in the next 24 hours. My bad. I feel a lot better and I'm right back in business. Don't expect an update before Monday, for real this time. I've got a life.

About this chapter:

Yeah I put Shego in a bad situation with only a few ways out. And yes, I made Ron turn down her offer to get laid, but I'm not writing that kind of story and it would totally be out of character for the Ron I'm writing. I hope you like it. Let me know

See ya.


	29. Trust

**Chapter 17 – Trust

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**

"Since we have to wait for Betty to get here, tell me something about yourself Shego. How did you end up doing err…. What you used to do."

"You mean working for Drakken?" she shrugs "I had just finished a job and he contacted me. I already had a reputation in the crime world. He offered me a good contract and very little do." She seems bored.

"No, I meant how did you end up working for the bad guys. I mean, you were an hero in a family of heroes. What made you switch sides?" it doesn't look like she enjoys this topic. Her answer is cold and in an even tone.

"I got bored, and the relationship in my family weren't all that good despite appearances. One day a job went too far and a bad guy escaped after killing a person. A girl. Things went from bad to worse between us and I ended taking up the blame for our failure. I left home, travelled around a bit. I did odd jobs by myself. Security, bodyguard. The illegal stuff came later. I didn't switch in one fell swoop. Little by little the line of what I wouldn't do drifted a little farther, and before I knew it I started stealing. From there things are quite obvious, aren't they?" She take the chance to change her bandages.

"Well, that was one vague story if I ever heard one." Her looks is still cold "Fine! You don't want to talk about it. I won't press the matter. Change of topic. How exactly did you end up hiding here?" This time answering doesn't seem to bother her.

"I told you. When I left Bueno Nacho I took some money from one of my accounts and contacted a friend. The guy that can make you disappear for a while no question asked. The kind of person that takes customers confidentially at heart. At least I thought so. From where he hid me I couldn't get in touch with the world so I didn't know that the government put a bounty on me, and a big one at that. Seven zeroes. Enough to drop his usual professionalism and sell me out. I found the idiot in my room with other six persons armed to the teeth, ready to cash the bounty. I'm good but not even I can't get away from a closed room with lot of guns pointed at me."

"How did you get away?"

"Easy, they were all men. Males. And like the idiots they were they wanted the full package." She runs her hand on her body to make her point. "The bounty wasn't enough for them. They wanted a piece of me. Something to boast around. To have tasted the mighty Shego. Morons. They lowered their guards enough for me to act. I took down a couple of them, shielded myself with another. That's the point where I underestimated them. They didn't mind putting some holes in one of their own, less to share I guess. Bright side, my newest human shield was the idiot who ratted me out. A few bullets hit me. Special stuff made just for me. Uranium powered bullets. Nasty stuff. My plasma-enhanced healing factor overrides the radiations but it still takes more time to heal than a common wound on a normal person. I had to flee like I was. With only my panties on me and bleeding all around. Losing them wasn't easy but eventually they run out of ammos, while my plasma fire was still burning. They made the best choice by not following me. I was wounded, but a cornered animal is very dangerous. Plus they lost the upper hand when I managed to leave the place. They might have thought that their life was worth more than the money. Smart choice. Probably the smartest they ever made since coming to this world." Suddenly I feel very happy to have kept away from that scenario. Getting laid with Shego might have had some serious consequences for my health. She has finally finished to change the bandages and she's about to get up when…

"Freeze." The stone cold voice of Betty comes from behind her. Holy shit! When did she get there? Her gun is pointed to Shego s' head. At that range the likelihood of her missing are none. "Just breath the wrong way, Shego and I'm going to splat your brain all over." Scaaary.

"Betty." She doesn't move her eye from her target. "Betty, calm down. She is not hostile. Put your gun away." Still no answer. The two woman are staring at each other. Shego turned her head just enough to look at her sideways, trying not to provoke her into pulling the trigger. Common bullets or Uranium bullets, an extra hole in the head is not a good thing. There is a intense second of tension before Betty steps back. She put a safe distance between her and Shego before turning her eye at me. Her gun is still pointing at her though.

"Ron. What is the meaning of this? Did she hurt you? I've checked the place and she's the only one around here. I thought she threatened you into calling me here. What's going on?" Sigh. Not the best way to start this conversation.

"Betty. Relax. Trust me. If I was under constriction I would have used one of the code words we discussed. Calm down. This is a discussion between civilized persons. Put away that gun." She doesn't listen but at least she lowers it. Keeping ready to act she walks around the couch and besides me without removing her stare from Shego.

"Yeah. I noticed that you didn't use any code. That's the reason why I came alone as you asked, instead of calling the whole armada. Can't blame me for playing it safe though. So, what's the deal?"

"The deal, Betty, is the reason why you are here. Put away that gun, now. It's not the kind of tool that we need to have this conversation." A side glance to me before looking back to Shego. Finally she sighs and put the safety back on before slipping the gun back its holster.

"This has better be good, Ron. You are playing a risky game trusting her like this." She has a point, but I have mine. I had the time to think about it in the fifteen minutes it took her to get here.

"Actually, I'm risking very little. I'm her only hope to get away from the mess she put herself into so there is no risk coming from her." She shakes her head.

"I get that Ron. I wasn't talking about her. I told you already that our enemies would jump at any chance to drag our name in the dirt. Associating with her could…"

"Boost up GJ popularity in the high circles. Let us take a chance Betty. You are looking at a gold mine of information on the traffic of the underworld." I point at Shego while telling her so. Her reaction is not pleasant.

"What? Are you asking me to blab out all I know about the 'dark network'? Are you insane? If I do that my reputation would be…"

"Completely ruined, I know. But what better options do you have? You are standing in a very bad place now, Shego. Anyone would take the chance at the bounty on your head. Both the good and the bad guys. Your best chance is to work with us. Come back to the Light Side, young Padawan. Oh come on, don't look at me like that. You've got to have seen that movie too."

"He's actually right Shego. By turning yourself in you have a chance to live. You might have to spend the next twenty years in jail…" I cut her there before even Shego has a chance to protest.

"That won't do, Betty. I need Shego out and I need her clean. That's the deal I have with her." They both look at me wide eyed. For different reasons though.

"What? Why and how could we do that? Ron, in the position she's in we can't pull this kind of stunt. She has too much history, and her association with Drakken puts her on the bad side of the public opinion." I grin at her.

"Well, what if she was never a criminal in the first place?" they both look at me like I have a second head.

"What do you mean?" time to get devious.

"Well, let us pretend that a young hero suddenly goes rogue and joins the underworld. Of course through the years she commits a lot of crimes. Theft, kidnaps, robberies. A lot of stuff but minor stuff. This goes on for years but then, all of a sudden, all the people she works for starts to end up into jail. Major plots are foiled seemingly effortlessly. The girl ends up in jail, over and over. And every time she breaks out. Guilty but free to return to her life of crime. Who would suspect such a person, such a lowly scum…" If a stare could kill my head would be on fire from Shego burning look. "… could actually be an undercover agent working for GJ?" a moment of silence and then

"WHAT? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? Who would actually believe it?" Shego doesn't seem pleased by my idea. Betty on the other hand is tapping her chin.

"Hmm… It's definitely risky. But the opportunities…. Yes… Probably she could still be charged with some minor stuff but the upsides…" Shego turns her head to Betty so fast the I can hear her neck snap.

"Eh? Did you both hit your head? There is no way that could actually work. And why would you expose yourself for me like that? The info you can get from me you can gather them through other means. It won't be as easy, but to risk your public face for…" It's Betty turn to answer her.

"No. Actually we could gain a lot from it. Not only info, but reputation as well. Nice. Good idea, Ron. This might actually boost our plan." Shego doesn't follow. I keep grinning.

"Would you mind sharing with me? You lost me." I'm happy to oblige.

"See. It like this Shego. If we can make the people believe that you have been working for us the whole time we can free GJ from the common idea of incompetence they usually associate with it. Sure, the public will still keep asking themselves why a teenager had to do the job of an agency that should keep the criminals in line, but we can easily blame it on the legislation that is actually behind the slow reaction time. We can have the triple effect of keeping you out of jail, cleaning GJ name and gain a few steps forward in the project for a new law that might allow security agencies to actually do their jobs." She seem to ponder this idea.

"It's not going to work. There is too much hate out there. The public wants my blood for my part in the Diablos Invasion. There is no way for you to keep me away from it. I was too involved." I look at Betty and she looks at me. We both grin widely. It's Betty turn to explain.

"Actually we can. And we owe it to Drakken." Shego has the kind of expression she could have if I hit her with a blunt weapon on the head. "We have been watching the footage from the security cameras in Bueno Nacho HQ. Do you remember the conversation you had with Drakken about the lack of a plan in the seemingly unconnected things he was working on?" Realization finally hits her. I take the conversation from here.

"Yes, you do remember. He actually said that he didn't want to tell you because if you couldn't figure it out, then Kim wouldn't be able to do it as well. With that kind of stuff, do you still think it would be hard to convince the public that Drakken himself had doubts on your loyalties? There is enough involuntary innuendo there to play the card of the double agent. Plus it clearly states that you weren't aware of what was his plan, therefore cleaning your name both for the jury and the masses." If Shego jaw wasn't hinged to her head I would have to pick it from the ground. Slowly her expression drifts from surprised to happy.

"It could work. It could actually work! But… but what do you want from me? Information sure isn't enough for this. Regardless of what you might want to make people believe, I really am a criminal. You are the good guys. You are supposed to send people like me to jail, not keep me out of it. What do you want?" If my grin could get any wider I would have lost my jaw somewhere along the way.

"I want you." Both the women are staring at me oddly. "Not like that." I rub the bridge of my nose. Too much thinking for one single day. "Shego, you are too compromised to work for GJ directly. As a double agent you couldn't be trusted, but as an independent trouble-contractor…"

"My reputation would still suck. There is no way you could convince any agency to make me work for them." Honestly, I need to buy more teeth for a wider grin.

"But I have enough for the both of us. By acting as your watcher I can keep you out of jail and in the game. Your skills wouldn't be wasted and you would be actively working to repay your debt to society. It's a win-win situation."

"You are still a minor." I shrug.

"Only for the next two weeks. By then we can have all the papers arranged properly. Just say that you are in and we can start working on it." She doesn't answer for a moment.

"How? How can you simply trust me like that? Do you know who I am? I could stab you in the back. Anytime."

"That's something I'd like to know as well, Ron. You definitely went out of your way to help her. Why?"

"Sigh. I know exactly who you are Shego. You are a short-tempered, very violent, psycho-bitch." I was ready for a plasma blast, but it doesn't come. "But you are also a person of your word. In all the times we fought you, you hurt us, tricked us, played us into doing your game, but never, ever, outright lied to us. I don't know if you ever realized it yourself, Shego. I don't even know if you do it by some kind of personal sense of honor or a professional behavior. I don't know, I don't even care. It's simply there, and it's enough of a reason for me to trust you. And besides, the circle of trust has to begin somewhere. Isn't that right Betty?" My remark on our first conversation in the hospital is the jab I need to make her capitulate to my idea. She sigh.

"I guess you are right. I'm in. Shego?" she looks at the both of us with the expression of someone who just walked in her favorite restaurant and found a laundry instead. A mix of 'where exactly am I?' and 'Am I still sleeping?' But it's just a moment.

"Right. I'm probably walking in the worst agreement ever, but hell, what other options do I have? I'm in." despite her apparent distaste in this she is genuinely happy. Thing must finally look brighter for her after a long time. We shake hands. Betty has somethingto sat about this sitch.

"That's good but we are far from over. I have a lot of paper to run if we want to make this work. We are skating on a very thin ice here. Ron, please avoid such things without consulting me first. Shego, I need you to hide here until I have that bounty removed from your head. I don't need to tell you this, but if you try anything funny your current situation will look pleasant compared on what I will unleash on you. Got it?" Her answer is a dismissing wave of her hand. Her 'better that thou' attitude is back in full force. A clear sign of her improved mood. "On another note, Shego, why are you dressed like that. I have the suspect that you sneaked your way into Ron good side with that look. Did something happen between the two of you that I should know? I can't help but think that your outfit is the reason behind his willingness to help you." I blush violently at that. Shego on the other hand bursts out laughing.

"Ah! I can't deny that I tried that. And I've almost got him too. This little runt had the guts to turm me down. I'm almost tempted to smack him for that insult. No one turns me down. Ever. You should have seen his face, though. It was priceless." Betty raise an eybrow when she hears that.

"Really? Very impressive, Ron. I would have never believed that a guy would turn down such an offer." she's trying hard to keep her laughter.

"Fine! Make fun of the troubled, hormonal teenager, will you? Your stunt back there is going to haunt my dreams for the next two weeks. Three if you keep dressing like that." The two women won't even try to keep some sort of pretence now. They fall on their knees in a giggling crisis. Ah. Why do I even bother?

"I- I'm going to tease you mercilessly about this you know it, right? You won't even be able to look in my general direction when I'm finished with you." I can feel my eye twitch.

"Oh? Is that a challenge? You're on. Do your worst. The Ron-Man can take you anytime." Betty has finally regained control and is back on her feet.

"Whatever. Ron I really am impressed. You have dealt with an unexpected and potentially dangerous situation with a cool head and came out with a course of action that actually helps us. A little rushed in agreeing to help Shego but I can see your points. You have a good instinct about people, trust it. I'll do the same. I have the feeling that the two of us can make a great difference in the coming days. Stay sharp."

I'm about to thank her for the appreciation when suddenly my visual goes compeltely pink. The soft, smooth sensation is too familiar to take more than half a second to realize. My face is being hugged by the most loyal rodent that has ever walked this earth.

"RUFUS!" I take my best friend of a lifetime with my hand away from my face.

"Hhhk. Ron!" The little guy is crying his heart out. The poor thing.

"Rufus, buddy. I've missed you. Boy. I'm sorry about the being dead thing. A lot of things came up and..." W-wait a second. Why is Rufus here? Last thing I knew I left him with...

"R-R-R-Ron?" Oh no.

"Tara?" Oh boy. Baaad timing to get here. Bad timing indeed.

* * *

Author Note:

And Monday it is. Just like promised the new chapter is here. It's currently 13.00 (1:00 pm) here in Italy as I'm uploading this one up. I could probably have uploaded it sooner cause I finished working earlier yesterday night and worked on it till late (2.00 am).

So what do you think about it? I like the way I made the deal work. I actually think it makes really sense the plan that Ron came up with. Tell me if you think the same or not.

Tara stumbled into an heavy situation despite the light atmosphere. Now that one more person knows about the deal, where will this lead? Slowly Ron gets back among the living. How will this double confrontation go? Keep reading to find out.

Writing this story is becoming more fun by the minute, and it takes me less time to write compared to the beginning. How is my writing skill going? I'm really trying to improve here and I'd like to know if you see some difference from when I started, both in grammar and in style. Let me know if you don't mind.

See ya.


	30. Interlude Gold Kiss

**Interlude - Gold – Kiss

* * *

**

Alive? F-For real? But it can't be. That night... Barkin said... And the doctors... Alive?

Oh my God. He's alive. He's alive!

I need to go. I have to see it with my own eyes.

"RUFUS! You heard? Come with me. We.. we are going over to your house. Ron... Ron might be there." But my pink friend, despite is happiness, is shaking his head.

"Hhhk. No there. Secure location." he's pointing to the TV. My turn to shake my head.

"I don't care. If he is not there I'm going to wait for him. Eventually he will come back. This time..." It takes an effort to keep the familiar tears away "This time I won't let him slip away from me." I reach for the door and Rufus doesn't complain. "MOM! I'm going out."

"Tara! Where..." but I don't waste time to answer her. Her voice is cut by the door closing behind me. I won't find any bus going that way and I don't have cash for a taxi. I'll walk. Hell, I'll even run. Let's put that aerobic training to some use. From here, even cutting the way with some shortcuts it will take at least half an hour to get there. I know the way. I know it all too well. Let's go.

I cover the distance in fast, long steps. For the first time in my life I feel that the training I've put myself through finally has a purpose. I will reach him. This time for real. I won't let him get away. I will stand with him, for him, for myself. The road is both incredibly long and short at the same time. I know every turn and twist to reach his house. I know where a fence isn't nailed properly and it allows me to cut through a garden. The elderly lady that lives there won't even notice my passage. Between two houses there is some distance among the fences where I can cut a lot of road where I should otherwise walk around. I could count the steps needed to get there. The people I cross on the way are looking at me oddly. It's not every day that you see a girl running around with a naked mole rat holding to her shirt for dear life.

When I finally get to his house my legs are sore. I didn't jog here. I dashed. I can feel the sweat dripping from my forehead and I wipe it away with the back of my hand. My heart is thumping like an engine.

Not too far away a black car with equally black glasses is parked. It's not the kind of vehicle that you would find in this neighborhood. It doesn't have any particular traits that might identify the owner, but to me it's practically screaming of some kind of government agency. He has to be here. I walk to the door and I find it ajar. Somebody must be inside. Rufus must be thinking something on the same line because he jumps away from my shoulder and into the house. Well, it's his place after all.

"Rufus. * Anf* Wait". I need to catch my breath before going in. I don't know exactly what or who I' going to find. Finally I push the door open enough to get inside. Rufus is scurrying away following some muffled voices coming from another room. I chase the pink rodent down the corridor until he turns around a corner and out of my sight. I'm reluctant to follow him there. What will I find? Will he be here? I certainly hope so. I step in the room.

"Rufus, buddy. I've missed you. Boy. I'm sorry about the being dead thing. A lot of things came up and..."

"R-R-R-Ron?" I stutter his name out. It's true. He's alive. He's here.

"Tara?" I walk toward him in a daze. I can't discern the storm of emotions that's swirling inside me. I take in the sight of his wounds. I can only image what he went through. When I'm right in front of him I know what I must do.

*SLAP*

Almost acting on his own my hand strikes him across the face. The blow takes him by surprise and he staggers back.

"OUCH! Tara? What the hell? What was tha..*CRUNCH*" But he is cut short by Rufus. Jumping from his hand, my newest friend headbutts Ron in the face. Not having recovered from my previous blow he falls on his ass holding his bleeding nose.

"Hufus? Uhi?" the pink rodent is pointing at me from his position on the floor. What?

"Hhk. Tara. Tears. Hnk. Us scared. Sad. Ron fault." My hand reach for my cheek to find warm tears streaming down. I didn't even notice them.

"Phara? I-I-I'm shorry." I can hold it anymore.

"You. You. You unbelievable JERK! All this time I… For a month I only… I. I. UAAAHH!" I fall on my knees holding my face. A poor attempt to hide my tears. I'm not even sure what I'm crying for. I'm on the floor trembling and shaking when a familiar arm find his way around me.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, Tara. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you."It's my turn to reciprocate his gesture. I hold him close. I need to feel him, to wipe away the nightmares, to put an end to a long month of sorrow. He's alive. He's here. In my arms. We hold each other for a while. After a time far too short I feel his hold slipping away and we pull ourselves apart. We look at each other for a moment. He's about to say something when I finally take my chance. Pulling him close once more I crush my lips on his before he can react. He tense and struggle for a moment but he offer no resistance.

I pour everything I have into this kiss. My feelings. All of them. A month worth of tears, an year of admiration, and a lifetime of hopes. When I break contact and open my eyes again I'm looking into Ron dazed and unresponsive eye. He slumps on the floor as soon as I release him, twitching like he has been electrocuted. Oops? Did I break him?

"Whoa. Critical hit." The voice snaps me out of my focus on Ron. Only now I realize that there are other people in the room. Oh my God. This is so embarrassing.

There are two women with us. Hey. Isn't she the one that was on TV not too long ago? What is she doing here? And the other one...Ah!

"YOU! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE? DID YOU COME TO HURT RON? I WON'T LET YOU!" I stand between him and this... this... woman dressed in... Ron clothes? OOOOH! THIS SLUT! What has she been doing with him all this time? I'm going to... I'm going to... Argh! I don't know what I'm going to do but there's going to be blood involved.

"Woh-oh. Down girl. As far as I know you are the only person who hit him today. And don't stare at me like that. I didn't steal him. Yet." Not for the lack of trying, you slut. I'm sure.

"You expect me to believe it when you are dressed like that? Try another one sister. I wasn't born yesterday."

"Hey! It's not like I haven't tried, but its seems like your boyfriend is too much of a noble soul. He turned me down. The idiot." Eh? For real?

"He..He..He is not my boyfriend."

"Doesn't look like that to me, but hey, if he's just your boy-toy it's all good in my book. I wonder about your tastes though." Wha..? How dare she?

"Let us all calm down, shall we? Miss, did you close the door behind you? I guess not. Rufus, please, go close it before another uninvited guest drops by." Just like he has been told, Rufus runs back to the door. He must trust this woman. Who is she again? "Good. Since Rufus was with you I guess that you are Miss Tara King. Am I right?" I nod. "Well, Miss King, Tara, you just stumbled into a very complex situation. Oh. I'm Dr. Betty Director by the way. Head of Global Justice. Pleased to meet you. Ron spoke very highly of you." He did? Really? Oh wait. Head of GJ?

"Pleasure is all mine….Uhmm... I have the feeling that I'm in a huge trouble right now." The woman in front of me releases a powerful sigh.

"You are not far from the truth, Tara. Come. We must discuss a lot. Your presence here makes things a lot more complicated. Shego, pick up what's left of Ron and put him on the couch. God. I need a coffee. Things aren't going according to plan and it's only day one."

Uh-oh. What did I just put myself into?

* * *

Author note:

A small interlude on Tara side. Her involvment is going to make things messier than before, and yeah she just kissed Ron. How is this going to affect the situation and their relationship? Read and find out. The next chapter is coming soon.


	31. Rollercoaster

**Chapter 18 – Rollercoaster

* * *

**

"Ugha?" What happened? Why am I on the couch? What was..?

"Are you finally awake, Ron?" Betty voice is calling me from somewhere nearby. I pull myself up. Walking around the couch I reach the kitchen where she's pouring some coffee.

"Yeah. What happened? Why is my face hurting? And is there a specific reason why my mouth tastes like vanilla? I don't remember eating anything that tasted like..." Entering the room my brain register the presence of the others. Shego of course, and.. Rufus and.. Tara? Oh. Oh! As our eyes lock together we both blush furiously. "Oh. Y-yeah. I remember now." It's the best that I can stutter. I'm too embarrassed to articulate something more elaborated. Thankfully Shego saves me by bursting out laughing.

"Ah ah. That was priceless. You have been kissed into unconsciousness. Congratulations Stoppable. Hmpf! I wonder what your admirer would think if they were to discover that you got your ass handed over by a cheerleader and a naked mole rat." Betty is smirking, Tara is blushing, Rufus is stuffing his face into some cheese and I... well I'm grinning madly. Thanks Shego. You just served me my way out of this situation.

"Is this coming from the woman who made a career out of it?" That ought to shut her up and shift some embarrassment from Tara. Like predicted her previous smile morphs into a blushing frown. The Ron Man scores. "At least I've been kissed afterwards. That makes up for it." This is my way to say 'don't worry' to her. She seem to relax even if her blush doesn't recede at all. "And you? I don't remember Kim ever kissing you after one of your catfights."

"Ugh! I did not need the gorchy image. I would totally puke if that were to happen."

"It certainly doesn't go like that in my dreams." Let see how do you like this. Tara lets out a small gasp, while Betty is almost chocking on the coffee she was drinking. Shego, on the other hand, has joined Tara in the 'Tomato Red' range for blushing. Is there something I should know, Shego?

"W-wha..? Are you serious? Do you really...?" I shrug.

"No. But your face was totally worth it." Betty has finished coughing and she now laughing madly. Tara is hiding her laugh behind an hand and Rufus is... still stuffing his face. "That makes two for the Ron-Man. I'm on a roll tonight." Wait a second. Tonight? Just how long was I out? "Err.. Just what time is it? How long have I been unconscious?"

Finally mastering her laughter Betty answers me. "It's almost 8 pm, Ron. You have been out cold for more the forty minutes. It seems that your 'friend' here put some real effort in that kiss." There goes my effort to keep the blushing at bay. Bah. Let's just forget it.

"I see. I assume that since I was out you explained things to Tara yourself" Her answer is a nod.

"Yeah. We went over the most important topics, the same kind of stuff you will discuss in your press conference next week. I've left you the chance to explain the most, let's say intimate, topics of your condition. And I asked her to keep quiet about Shego. I assumed that since you've left Rufus in her care you must trust her enough to keep some secrets. Was I mistaken?"

"No. No, I trust Tara. Don't worry about it. She's ok. Right, Tara?" she answers me with a smile. "Also thanks for the chance to let me explain things. She certainly doesn't deserve a second hand story. I need to apologize with a lot of people starting with you." She blush a little and shakes her head.

"No. I'm the one who should apologize. I was, well, a little confused and I did something I shouldn't have done." She's just too cute.

"I hope that you are talking only about the slap, Tara." Uh? Why is everyone looking at me like that? "Did I say that out loud? Whoops." Smooth. Real smooth, Stoppable. She dashes out of the room hiding her face with her hands. "Excuse me for a minute." And I run right after her.

I reach her a few steps outside of the kitchen and I grab her arm, making her turn to me. She stubbornly avoid to meet my gaze. Her blush is spreading everywhere. Even her neck is red at this point. I avoid carefully to see if it reaches even further down. "I'm sorry, Tara. I didn't mean to make you feel embarrassed. It's just... I mean... I always put my foot in my mouth when it comes to girls. I didn't mean anything by that, ok? I know, when people are confused they do, and in my case say, things they shouldn't. I'm sorry. " Finally, shyly, reluctantly she raises her stare to me.

"I... I didn't mind it, Ron. The kiss I mean. I'm just... just...scared that you hate me for that and.." I cut her off with my lips. Vanilla flavored marshmallows dominate my senses. She responds slowly but firmly. Our tongues barely touch of the threshold of our mouths. I'd like to push things further but that would be wrong. If she is confused then I don't know what the fuck is going on. I don't even know where the hell I found the guts to do this. I pull our lips apart. She's smiling. I speak before she has any chance do misunderstand me.

"I definitely did not hate it in the slightest, see? Listen Tara. As you might have understood by now, there is some pretty serious shit going on around me. I don't want to pull you in this storm at least until I've got some things covered. After that I would really like, you know... kinda..."

"Yes?" she's smiling coyly.

"I don't know... well... maybe..." She cups my face with her hands and bring my wandering stare to meet hers again.

"I would totally love to date you, Ron Stoppable. At least I hope that's what you wanted to say." I nod. "And... I need to figure things out myself... When you died I... well I didn't take it well. I hurt a lot of people with my behavior. I need to make it up for it."

"I know. You don't need to explain me anything. We should... let thing settle before jumping in a relationship of any kind... and besides I know very little of you, Tara. What you said about me that night... You made me happy. Really. I... I thought you might wanna know." She's blushing again.

"You... you heard me? Then y-you knew about my... my crush? Oh God, I feel so stupid. You must think that I'm some kind of fan-girl. A maniac. A.. a..." And here we go again with the kiss. God. The best way to shut up a girl, ever. I'm becoming addicted already. I must stop now. /Just a little more. I like vanilla./ Me too, but that's not right. /Aww. Come on. /Enough!/Tch. You are such a killjoy./ I pull ourselves apart.

"No. You got it all wrong. If anything I'm flattered that you think of me like that. I'm not quite sure what I did to deserve it, but I totally like it." With her fears finally quenched she relax in my arm. Uh... When exactly did I embrace her?

"Ahem!"as if struck by a lightening we jump away from each other with our face flaming. Betty is standing on the door. "Excuse me for the interruption. Ron, I have to go. This little trip took away a lot of time. There is probably a mountain of paperwork waiting for me. I told Shego everything you need to know for the next two weeks. Keep a low profile. If you play your cards right it might take a couple of days for the media to figure out the fact that you are actually at home, and not is some god-forsaken safe house." I'm thankful for the fact that she isn't making fun of me. In her place Shego would... I don't want to think about it. "Tara, I suppose you need a ride home. I'll drop you a little far away from your house, so we won't raise any suspicion in your parents. Is that ok with you?"

"Uhm... Yeah. That would be great. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it. Shall we go?"

"All right. Thanks. Ron I'll see you on Monday ok? Oh, and thank Rufus for me, will you? He has been the greatest friend ever." she kisses me on the cheek and follows Betty out of the door. Sigh. I miss her already. I walk back to the kitchen. Shego is still sitting at the table, holding a glass of… something alcoholic.

"Is she gone? Finally. What is with Middleton cheerleaders? Are they all that snarky?"

"Snarky? Who? Tara? But... she's practically an angel. If you think that about her, wait until you meet Bonnie Rockwaller. She will give you a whole new meaning for that term. Trust me."

"So not looking forward to it." She puts down her glass "And you are talking about the girl who bitch-slapped you as soon as you got into her sight? Do you know that she threatened ME of physical pain if I try to lay an hand on you in any way? Ah. Whatever. What now? Where should I stay while I'm here?"

"Did you like the attic? We can work and make a bedroom out of it. Tomorrow. I need to sleep now. This day has been... hectic? For the time being you can use my parents room. They went back to their jobs and won't be home for a few weeks. Make yourself comfortable, ok? Stay away from the windows, keep the curtains closed and all that rubbish."

"Will do. Your pink friend is already asleep. He practically passed out while eating. Is it normal? Look, he still has cheese in his mouth. That's so gross."

"Hmm? Oh. Yes, he usually does that. Don't worry. Once he wakes up he will come to my room. That's where I'm headed by the way. I'll see you tomorrow, uh? G'night." She dismisses me with a wave of her hand and resumes drinking.

I make my way upstairs and to my room. I feel like I've been walking for a week. I'm totally spent. Tomorrow I'll think about everything. About Kim, Shego, Tara and all the shit I'm floating in. Now I only need to sleep. I enter my room and I find it unchanged from the last time I've been here. It's somewhat reassuring the mountain of clothes laying all around without order. I don't even turn the lights on or change my clothes. I simply walk to my bed and drop myself on it, face first. The welcoming softness of the mattress is everything I want from life right now. This rollercoaster of a day it's finally over.

"Stoppable-san?"

Or not?

* * *

Author Note:

Buahahah! Who saw this coming? There is still no rest for our hero.

Honestly, I wasn't planning for things between Ron and Tara to develop like this, but I'm writing this story as it comes and here we are. I hope you like it. Little by little things are going to change between Ron and the other characters. Look forward to it!

See ya!


	32. Invitation

**Chapter 19 – Invitation

* * *

**

It's not happening. I'm on my bed, face stuffed into the pillow, and there is no one else here with me.

"Stoppable-san?"

Oh! Come on. For Pete's sake. What is it today? Have a piece of Ron day?

"Stoppable-san? Are you awake?"

"No, Yori. I'm asleep and I'm dreaming as well. Otherwise there is no possible way that you could be here, right now, in my room when I'm trying to sleep. Right? "

"I'm... I'm sorry to intrude Stoppable-san. I'll come back tomorrow." Well done. Now she sounds hurt. Women are going to be the death of me. /And not in the pleasant way, I might add./ I turn around to look at her. There she is, In the corner of my room. If I didn't know that she's there I wouldn't even see her. She's just another shadow in the room. Only her eyes are visible from under her ninja outfit.

"Wait! Sigh. I'm sorry. I had a very stressful day and I'm kinda snappish. I should have seen this coming though. Of all the people I met here today, someone from Yamanouchi should have been the first one to come to mind. Forgive my rudeness. Let's start again, shall we?" I take a deep breath. "Hello Yori. What a pleasure. What brings you here? Do you want to come in? Please make yourself comfortable."

She giggles.

"Always with the American styled jokes, Stoppable-san. Don't worry. I've been rude myself, coming inside your house unannounced and uninvited. Please accept my apologies." She steps forward and outside of the shadows. It's like her body is made by a black mist. Ninjas are so cool!

"Apologies accepted. Welcome Yori. I asked you what brings you here but I think we both know the answer. It's about the Blade isn't it?"

"Indeed Stoppable-san. When the Blade vanished from Yamanouchi we knew that it was answering to your call. You have stirred quite the commotion inside our school." I knew it.

"I'm sorry about that. Things happened and I called the Blade before I even knew it."

"It's all right, Stoppable-san. Sensei said that you shouldn't worry about it and to use the Blade as you see fit." What? Really?

"Uh. Geez. Thanks. I wasn't expecting that. I was ready for the lecture of a lifetime. I guess I got away lightly this time. Anyway I kept the nature of the Blade and the existence of Yamanouchi a secret. You shouldn't have any trouble on that front."

"We know. I've been sent here by Sensei as soon as the Blade was gone. I've been snooping around listening to rumors. Anything outside of the ordinary about the Blade is being chalked off as the product of the fervid imagination of shocked students. It is our luck that you Americans are so narrow-minded when it comes to the mystical side of this world."

"I see. That's good then. Uh. Wait you have been in Middleton for a whole month? How did you even know that I was still alive? Only an handful of people knew about it. Do you have ninja in the White House?" She removes the garb covering her face showing her nice smile. In the darkness of the room it's like a light is suddenly turned on.

"We might have a few of our graduates there." Whoa. Really? I was just joking. " But that was not our source. Sensei told us that albeit extremely weakened, your aura on the mystical plane was still burning. You had to be alive. So I was sent here to watch over your house until you got back. And here we are."

"Are you telling me that you've been keeping watch over my house for a whole month? I can't believe that you've slept out there so long."

"I didn't. I have been staying here, inside your room, for the whole time. I went outside only for strict necessities." Eh? Did I get that right?

"Hold on! You have been living in my house for a month? But.. But... Shego was here almost as long. How come that she didn't see you?" Another giggle.

"Oh, Stoppable-san. That woman is certainly skilled in the arts of stealth, but ninjustu isn't about hiding from the world, it's about fading from existence. A master of the art could stand right between us and we wouldn't be the wiser. It's a whole different matter altogether. And besides, she isn't aware of her surroundings as she likes to believe." This is mildly annoying. All these people going around my house without asking permission. They might have their reasons and even being good ones, but still! Ah, whatever. I should be used about this kind of stuff by now. The people snooping around I mean. Just wait until I corner Wade about that chip. That is one guy who isn't going to have it easy.

"I understand. It's somewhat disturbing though. From now on I'll keep asking myself if there is somebody around spying on me all the time."

"That's good, Stoppable-san. You must always question your surroundings. You never know who might be hiding in the shadows, ready to strike." And I'm supposed to be the paranoid one? That's rather amusing. "If I had been moved by ill intents you would be dead right now. Think about it." I would rather not, but the amusement is gone now. Will I ever sleep again like the old times after this conversation?

"That's something I'd rather not think about, Yori, but I see your point. I must keep my guard up at all times from now on. Thanks for the advice."

"It was my Honor. Anyway, I was sent here to watch over you and to extend you an invitation to join us at Yamanouchi as soon as possible. Our honorable Sensei wishes to meet with you in person. By summoning the Blade you have triggered events outside of our comprehension. If I have to quote his words you have 'shattered everything we knew about fate and destiny.' You have definitely surprised him Stoppable-san." Flattered. That's how I would feel normally. Sadly this wonderful newsflash adds another spin to the shitstorm that's already coming my way. Beautiful Omens from the Far East. Just what I needed to spice up my otherwise boring life. Can I go back to be the loser that everybody was eager to forget? No? Thought so. Watch out for what you wish, guys. You might just get what you asked for. And it won't be pleasant. "I can see that this news was not something you were looking for. I'm sorry. I didn't want to add another burden to your life." I wave my hand at her.

"No, it's okay. I can't allow myself to be same child unaware of the world that I was before. Thank you, Yori. Please bring my gratitude to our Honorable Sensei when you'll see him." She smiles before bowing.

"Just like before, it was my Honor. I can see that the trials you went through made you stronger despite your wounds. Sensei will be pleased to hear of this."

"Eh. I don't know about being stronger. Certainly I don't want to run from myself anymore. Of that much I'm sure." a friendly hand reach for my shoulder.

"Stoppable-san, that is exactly what strength is all about. Very well. I must go now. I need to report everything to Yamanouchi. Sensei was eager to hear about you. Can I tell him that you will visit us as soon as possible?" I nod.

"You can count on it. I'll be there as soon as the school term is over if I manage to shake the attention from myself. The ruckus made by Shego turning out to be a double agent might prove to be exactly the kind of distraction I need to slip away unnoticed. I won't put too much hope on that though. Plans have a tendency to go awry lately. Say, is there a way for me to contact you if I need?"

"Yes, take this." She hands me over a weapon similar to a knife, a kunai I believe it's called. "Write a message on a piece of paper and stab it to the tree behind your house at night. One of our graduates will make sure to deliver it to us." Ninja-Postman? Way cooler than an e-mail.

"Thanks. I will let you know when I can reach you in Japan."

"Good. I also have this for you. This book is the basic for learning the art of 'hiding in plain sight'. Make sure to read it and to follow its instruction. It will be useful if you wish to avoid the attention that will gather around you. I believe that you are really talented in the art. Master Sensei is of the same advice."

"Me? Talented in the Ninjutsu? Yori when I walk around buildings tend to collapses. I don't think that I'm the right guy for this stuff."

"You are most certainly correct. Yet everyone always have trouble remembering your name, even when you were right in the spotlight along with Possible-san. You had to burn your image inside their heart for them to remember you properly. Stoppable-san, your tendency to spur chaos and destruction is matched only by your tendency to 'fade'. Only persons really close to you or with a particular awareness were able to acknowledge you right on."

Suddenly a lot of things makes sense. The media always getting my name wrong, Drakken inability to remember my name at all./He's an idiot. He doesn't count./ Years of being overlooked.

"Are you telling me that I've been a social outcast most of my life because I'm some kind of natural-born Ninja?"

"No Stoppable-san. Your lack of social skills is your own fault. You aren't a Shinobi although you might become one if you train in the art."

"But… But I've always tried to stand out."

"Indeed, but you never really tried to fit into their 'World'. That's why as soon as you stopped with your antics people simply forgot about you. Being a Ninja is about 'fading' before even being spotted. I'm merely saying that because of your behavior over the course of the years you have developed a natural tendency for the art. If you apply yourself you might develop a certain proficiency in it very quickly. Of course, mastery requires years of training even for a genius. Don't get your hopes too high though. You are talented for the art, yet it doesn't suits you. I'm not making any sense, am I?" It's my turn to laugh.

"Maybe. You don't have to worry about it, though. I didn't make sense most of my life and I went along just fine." I'm rewarded with one of her cute giggles.

"Thanks, Stoppable-san. You certainly are..." *CLACK* The door is suddenly opened by Shego.

"Stoppable, what are you laughing... CRAP!" As one the two women jump away from each other, although Yori hasn't that much room to move around. Shego hands are glowing and Yori is holding a kunai. I need to defuse this situation before it gets out of hand. I stand between the two of them with my back turned to Yori.

"Shego. AMP! DOWN! She's a friend." She is surprised by that. When you are hiding for your life the sight of a ninja isn't reassuring.

"Stoppable, what...?"

"I said amp down, Shego. She's not here for you." She looks at me for a moment and finally turns her power down. She keeps a good distance though. I can't blame her.

"Are you sure about it? There are a lot of things at stake here, most prominently my life. How much can you trust her?"

"I trust her with my life, Shego. Anytime and without asking." I can tell that she isn't interested in my well-being. But it appears that is enough to drop the argument.

"That much, uh? Fine. Girl, who are you?" From behind me Yori steps forward. She has already covered her face and she's holstering her weapon. She's looking at me.

"..." Not a word. She's silently asking me how much I trust Shego. Good question. I know that I can trust her as long as what we do is in her best interest. But beyond that? The least I divulge, the better it is.

"Her name doesn't matter, Shego. She's a friend and that's all you need to know. As a matter of fact this moment never happened." She doesn't like it.

"What? You can't possibly believe that I can trust..." Oh really? Time to show who's in control here.

"As a matter of fact I can. My house, my rules. Either you trust me with your safety or you can just walk out. You know where the door is." My determination is like a slap to her. Boy, she didn't expect me to grow a spine this much, did she?

"Y.. you can't do that. You need me. I'm..." Oh, no. No-no-no. Let us quench this idea of hers that she might have any leverage on me. The Jester is more than willing to do that. I walk forward until I'm staring right in her eyes. It's like We have cast a spell on her. She's frozen on the stop like a cornered rabbit in front of a lion.

"Tch. Shego, you are so mistaken. You are merely an useful tool. You were never part of my plans, just an added bonus. So let makes things clear. I don't want to ask you anything more that what you are truly willing to give, but that's me. You don't get to make demands. I'm the one giving orders around here. I'm kind enough to treat you like a human being, but I can slap you into submission anytime like the bitch you are." I can tell that she recalls that night. This trigger something in her and she snap out of her paralysis. She jumps back with her power burning at full force.

"Y-You! How dare you speak to me like that? You neither have the balls nor the strength to...do..." her speech trails off as her boldness is replace by a primal fear. I know that I shouldn't do this. It's kind of abusing it, but as The Jester, well, I just don't give a fuck!

**"Wield me!"**

The lights are swallowed by darkness and the red mist is trashing the room. Just like before she emerges from the floor to meet my hand. Her touch is the caress of a lover. Dripping sweet nectar. I feel aroused. This time though, the mist simply fades away as the lights are restored. I'm fully in control of my actions. Before Shego has a chance to snap out of the daze she's in I jump on her. My foot meet her stomach with all the strength of my weight. The air rushes out her lungs as she's sent sprawling back. I'm actually glad that Alice put me through all those test. If not, the lack of an arm would have totally offset my balance, and I would be laying flat on my ass. Instead it's Shego the one with her back on the floor. She recovers quickly though, but not fast enough. By the time she's back on her feet I've already covered the distance between us. I slam my shoulder on her chest pushing her against the wall and effectively pinning her between it and the Blade, that is now resting on her neck. It would require just a small pressure to see if her blood has a green tinge as well. Let's finish this.

"Well then. It seems that we established our roles, hmm? Last warning, Shego. I'm willing to act civil with you as long as you abide to my rules. For the time being I asked you only to trust me, nothing more. If you can't comply then I will resort to more, let's say drastic, measures. That's not what you want, right?" By now our face are just an inch apart. Her black, trembling lips are there for me to claim them if I wanted to, but that would be too easy. Her breath is ragged and I can see the fear finally take a true hold in her. But there's not only that. I can tell. It's similar to the look that she gave me before escaping from Bueno Nacho HQ. A smoldering look of both repulsion and attraction. Does she get turned on when she get beaten? A thought for another time. Let us leave our mind games for later. I have another guest here. I release her and turn around without paying her any more attention. I walk to Yori who is still standing where I left her. I shift to the Buffoon again.

"Sorry about that. Don't worry, things will be just fine here. Please bring my regards to our Sensei. I will reach you there as soon as possible." She answer me with a numb nod before 'fading'. She's probably trying to come to terms with what she just witnessed.

Once again I turn around to look at Shego, still standing against the wall. "I'm going to sleep now. Remember, this has never happened. Speak to no one about it." I step in my room and close the door behind me. Then I remember. I turn around and open the door again. The sudden movement makes Shego jump with fear. "Also… remember to knock before entering next time." And with that I definitely go back to my well deserved rest. Whew! I feel more rested than before. I really had to blow off some steam. Thanks Shego.

I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. This time I'm definitely going to get some sleep. If someone dares to interrupt me… well let's just say that the Blade will be deeply involved. Oh right. I pick up the phone. The usual dial tone precede the voice of Betty.

"Ron. Is something the matter?"

"Hi Betty. Not exactly. I called to warn you that you will probably receive a call about 'that thing' being missing. Just wanted to tell you not to worry about it. It's right here with me." A sharp intake of breath at the other side of the phone.

"Something happened? Are you in danger?"

"Betty, relax. If I needed help I would have told you by now. Nah. It's all peachy here. Let's just say that I had a divergence in opinion with my guest. Nothing major, I just had to establish a few rules. Don't worry and don't ask about it ok?"

"*SIGH* Fine. I will tell the guys down at the warehouse to drop the subject. Try to have a normal day tomorrow, will you."

"I'll try, but I won't make promises. As you know life tend to have her own way to screw things up."

"Don't I know it. Later Ron."

"Bye Betty." I close the phone before throwing it in a pile of clothes. Finally! Let's get some rest, shall we? I curl on the bed holding the Blade. Let's just hope that her presence her can keep the nightmares at bay. Tomorrow I have a shitload of things to do. I need to be well rested for that.

* * *

Author note:

Here we are. Things got a little out of hand uh? But the Ron-man has it under control. For now.

On a personal note: I'm on a roll! Things are shaping up quite nicely in my mind, and the words are flowing out of my fingers just like that. The next chapter will be out soon (as usual).


	33. Clownish

**Chapter 20 – Clownish

* * *

**

Five hours. It's a record. I haven't been sleeping this long for the past two weeks. The sun is barely rising and the light is filtering from the curtains. I shift into a sitting position, passing my hand over my face, trying to wipe away the remnants of tiredness. It's a useless effort. In the end I couldn't sleep until midnight. Phantom pains. Even an arm that's not there still hurts. What a load of shit.

As my eye regain focus I take the time to survey my room. Yesterday I didn't have the chance to get reacquainted with my house since I was a little overwhelmed by the sudden horde that invaded my place.

The silent stillness of the early morning allows me to feel this place in a way I rarely had the chance to experience. The familiar smell of this room and the sound of wood settling under the slowly rising heat of the sun fill me with melancholy. In his usual corner the soft breathing of Rufus tells me that the little guy doesn't share my problems when it comes to sleeping.

This place is strange. Nothing is missing except the things Shego took from my drawer. It's exactly as I left it, yet it's not. I know. This place hasn't changed. I did.

I grew up. As Kim predicted it happened. That's good. I never thought that it could be, but it is. It's the way I did it that sucks. I had to give up a lot of things to cover the distance between who I was and who I am. My arm and my eye are the least of them, albeit they are the ones that will affect me the longest. No, what I had to give up , what made me the person I was, was naivety. I thought that things would never change. That the things I cherished could never be ripped away from me. My family, my friendship with Kim, my life. I jeopardized them all with my stubbornness to be a child forever. Idiot. Kim had to slap me to wake me up. The loss of the last shelter where I could hide from the world. Thinking about it that's exactly what held me back all this time. It's not her fault of course. Well maybe it is partially, but it was never her responsibility to attend to my growth. No, as usual the sole responsible about my life is me. There's no denying it.

But in the end I did grow. Thanks Drakken. If not for your plan I might still be a hopeless child. Sure, this crash course had quite a fee to pay, but it was worth it.

And here I am now. But who am I? A guy with too many persons inside his head and no idea where the fuck we are headed. Oh, sure. The short terms objectives are clear. Work hard to restore GJ to full functionality and beyond. Bring the lunatics where they belong and keep them there, presents excluded. But what after that? What is that I strive for? I can't be defined only by the things I lost. A person should be more than that.

Standing still is not an option. The World keeps going and waiting won't bring me any answer. I need to step forward and make things up along the way, until I can finally realize where I want to go. And maybe… maybe life just gave me an hint.

On the floor where I dropped it last night, the book Yori gave me is laying half open, almost inviting me to browse through it. I will. Undoubtedly I will. I pick it up and place it on the shelf near my bed. What I need now is a good run, a shower and a nice breakfast.

This early in the morning the likelihood to meet someone are low but I must use caution nonetheless. I change into a new pair of baggy pants and another shirt with a hood. I definitely need to restock my wardrobe with something more practical than baggy pants. Whatever. It's not the time for this kind of musing. Making my way downstairs I walk in front of the room where Shego is supposed to be sleeping. Should I check on her? Tell her I'm going out? Nah. I'm sure that it's not a good idea. We didn't left in good terms last night and waking her up this early in the morning might just add fuel to the fire. I'll leave her a note in the kitchen, just in case.

Reaching the first floor I'm tempted to have a quick snack, but running with a full stomach isn't a good thing. Instead I cross the living room and reach the back door. The back of my house isn't easily accessible from the front without passing inside the house. Moving a piece of the fence I slip inside the garden of my neighbor and from there I reach the road on the other side.

Running this early in the morning is really refreshing. The few cars that pass by don't pay any attention to a lone jogger. Good for me I guess. Step by step I run in circle near my house. A thirty minutes jog is a good way to start the day. A good hour later I drop by a small groceries store not too far from my house. The lady who run this business is on the wrong side of the seventies and a little touched in the head. And besides I was never a regular customer. I don't think she will recognize me.

Quickly grabbing some eggs, bacons and other ingredients I pay and slip out of there before she has even the change to figure out who I am. I walk the rest of the way home to let my muscles cool down properly. By the time I get back inside my stomach is killing me. I did not had dinner last night, but I can't cook if I smell like this. A quick shower is what I need. I move to my room to fetch a change of clothes and underwear. On the way there I meet Shego coming out form my parents room. She's a little startled to see me.

"Hey, Shego. You are an early riser. Did you sleep well?" I try to keep the conversation casual without mentioning yesterday incident. She takes a moment to answer.

"Just fine Stoppable. Just fine." My God. She's dripping happiness this morning. Well, it's not like I helped her to be more sociable, but I prefer to be the one pulling the reins in this house. If she doesn't like it, she knows the way out.

"Cool. Listen, I was going to take a shower. Give me ten minutes and I'll arrange breakfast for the both of us. Is that ok with you?" She doesn't seem relived by my willingness to put aside our previous divergences. Too bad for her.

"Yeah. Fine. I'll wait downstairs." And without another word she move to the stairs. I wait for her to be out of sight before peeking inside the room she came out from.

Uh. What the Hell happened in here? The bed is a mess. The sheets are all twisted together and that pillow is ripped in two. And.. are those bite marks? Poor pillow. Uh. And what's this smell? It's faint. She must have changed the air in the room, but with my new awareness I can still detect a trace. I can't make out what it is, though. I never smelled anything similar. Oh well it doesn't really matter, does it? I step outside and continue on my way to the bathroom. Note to self: buy a few pillows for replacement. If I get into an argument with Shego again she might need them to vent her frustration. Better them than me.

Ten minutes later a refreshed Ron Stoppable is on his way back to the kitchen. A black pair of baggy pants and a sleeveless shirt of the same color is the only thing I could find to wear. It's still a little chill considering that we are just in the first day on June, and the stump of my arm doesn't make a good impression either. I need to do the laundry today. And tomorrow too considering the amount of clothes laying around in my room. House chores. Welcome to the life of an Hero.

I reach Shego in the kitchen. She sitting at the counter with a glass of milk in her hand. Geez, you could have waited. Damn woman. "Sorry I took so long." She dismisses me with a wave of her hand without even looking at me. As I walk behind her I can't help but feel it. That smell. Didn't she take a shower? Duh. She has nothing to change in, of course she didn't. And just what exactly it? Why does it makes me want to bite her mint hued neck that's coming so nicely out of my shirt? Whoa! Hold on there, Champ. Bad line of thought.

I'd like to ask her what exactly is it but my survival instinct is screaming not to. It might have something to do with the demise of that pillow. And besides is never a good idea to point out to a lady that she smell, isn't it? But I can at least express some care. "Uhm Shego? I just noticed that you are wearing the same clothes as yesterday. If you'd like to take a shower after breakfast I'll give you something else to wear." She finally looks at me with an enquiring look.

"Why do you even care?" Sigh. She likes to make things difficult.

"Shego, you are my guest in this house. It is simply normal that I provide to your comfort within reason. It's common courtesy. Don't read too much into it." Somehow she's doubting that.

"I don't understand you. One moment you are all kind and nice, and the other you go all 'Hannibal Lecter' on me. Which one is the real you? I'm tired of watching you switch to Zorpox and back. Just who the hell are you?" Hey. That's a tough question. I place the knife I am holding on the counter.

"Shego… that is a very complex question you just asked. I'm… not exactly the same person I was before that night…"

"Duh. I could tell that already. We wouldn't be in this situation otherwise. I'm not talking about your sudden badass attitude. I talking about the way you are acting with me. Which one is the real you?" Sigh.

"Both. Shego when you told me that I was out of my mind you were right. Inside here…" I tap my head with my finger. "… there is more than one Ron Stoppable." I don't know why I'm telling her this. Maybe because nobody will believe her if she tells anyone. Maybe because The Jester react to her more than anybody else. I don't know. I just feel like doing it.

"Are… are you telling me that you have a different personality? That you have Zorpox talking inside your head?" She's definitely scared by that. The fact of having a person with a tendency to go violent all of a sudden is worse than a person who has a violent behavior all of the time. I shake my head.

"It's not like that. Zorpox doesn't exist. He was born from what was taken from Drakken and put into me, but… he was shaped on the persona of the other me. The Jester."

"The… Jester?"

"That's how I call him. It's not like he is a different person. No, he's still me, but a darker me. A meaner me. We have a common will. It's like looking at two different side of the same coin. No matter how you look at it, it's still one. But it has two faces. Are you following me?" She nod numbly and a she little wary. "It's not like I'm going to jump you all of a sudden without reason. The Jester comes out only if provoked and only if he can have fun while at it. You seem to have a particular talent in make us deal with you like that." She doesn't talk for a minute and I resume preparing breakfast. It's not like I need her to answer me or to feel comfortable about it. I told her and it's up to her to come to terms with it.

"Why do you call him The Jester?" her question comes out of the blue. It took her so long to speak that I thought we dropped the subject. I stop cutting the vegetables, a tricky thing to do with one hand, to look up at her. She looks more curios than scared by now.

"Well… you used to call me Buffoon for so long that he showed up I found fitting to call a meaner me Jester." She chuckles. It's like the previous tension is dissipated.

"So The Buffoon and The Jester. Could you get any more clownish?" She testing the ground. Trying to see how much she can provoke me before he comes out. /Let me play./ I'm happy to oblige.

As The Grin claim my face Shego gets a little paler. She's looking at me change in slow motion.

"Shego… You have no idea how much of a clown I can be. Nor you really want to find out." And I slip back to the Buffoon. Looking at her with my innocent eyes after staring at her like a monster would must be really unsettling.

"T..That was…" I nod.

"Yeah. I can let him come out on purpose. We are one person after all."

"And… and… He won't try to hurt me out of the blue?" I shake my head.

"Not if you don't provoke him in doing so, but I was never the kind of person to answer with violence to small things. And while you have a talent to make him come out it's more like he just want to play with you. Mess with your mind a little, y' know." And I resume cooking while she comes to term with this news. She speaks again only when I present the eggs and beacon in front of her.

"Who knows about this? Betty? Princess? Your fan-girl? The rat?" I shake my head at every name.

"So far, you are the only one I've told."

"Why? It's not a small thing. Why only me of all people?" I look at her. Yeah. Why her?

"Because you are the only one that can make him come out without being hostile." I rub my nose as she cock her head slightly in a questioning motion. "While some of his traits might drip inside the Buffoon from time to time he only really comes out when he can hurt someone. And that happens when I'm really pissed off. You are the only person capable of calling him out just for fun, without true malice. I think he likes you. That's why you are the only one that needs to know. You two are similar."

"How so?"

"Because we can both find enjoyment in hurting other people. That's why." It's true. I have to admit it to myself. I love hurting people. Not indiscriminately, mind you. But I can really find pleasure in bringing pain to those who wish to hurt me. I knew it since that night in the basement, when I faced her. Not so hero-ish? I don't care. That's me. The guy who doesn't give a fuck about what the world thinks. It's such a liberating sensation.

We go on eating our meals without another word. When I gather the dishes she asks me a question. "So, since he likes me, and you are the same person, you like me as well?" Her tone is playful. I answer while passing behind her to reach the sink. I place my mouth just a little over her neck and answer her in a whisper.

"I've never made a secret of it, have I?" She shivers. I think she like this. Flirting on the edge of madness with a lunatic. I don't know how far I wish to push things with her nor how far she will let me. I don't care though. We are in for some fun time the two of us. A game where no one else is invited, cause the entrance fee is abandoning the self-delusion of being 'good' or 'normal'.

After placing the dishes in the sink I turn to leave the room. Shego doesn't speak or even turns to face me. I make no attempts either. I'm on the door when I finally open my mouth. I talk to her like our previous exchange never happened. "I'm going out for a while. I'll come back with something your size to wear. Underwear mostly. Don't ask where I'm going to get them. I'll be back in half an hour or so." Without waiting for an answer I run to my room to fetch another hooded shirt. It's not exactly clean but I can't afford to go out without hiding my face a little. When I go back to the first floor I notice that Shego is no longer in the kitchen. I don't lose time to look for her. She knows what she can and cannot do. I don't need to babysit her. I slip again outside taking the most hidden route to my destination: The Possible's. I can't risk going to Smarty Mart now that everyone knows that I'm alive. I can't pull the same tricks as before. I have to ask Anne to borrow me something.

…

Just how am I going to explain her that I need to borrow some of her panties?

…

SHIT! I didn't think that far ahead. I have to tell her about Shego. How will Kim react? Do I even have to let her know? There is no way that I can hide it from them, can I? Should they meet? Can I avoid them blasting my house? Am I going to survive the encounter? ARGH! Fuck this shit. I don't' need to justify anything. I'm going to tell both Anne and Kim to come over so that we can discuss things properly. Besides Shego is wounded. Better have Anne run a check on her.

I reach the back door and knock. After a minute it's Kim that opens up the door.

"Ron! What are you doing here? I thought that you wouldn't leave the house till Monday. And you promised to call me yesterday. Something happened? I was tempted to come over to your house." Thank God you didn't do that. With you, Shego, Betty, Tara and Yori there it would have been like WWIII. Screw blasting my house. They would have brought down the whole district.

"Yeah. Uhm.. Something came up. I need to talk to you and to your mother. Is she home?"

"Uh? Yes, she's inside. What happened? Are you ok?" She overly concerned but I guess that she is just trying to be best friend she can be. Let's try to reassure her.

"Hm? Oh yes. Just fine, don't worry. There is something I need to tell you and your mother. Can I get inside?" We are still talking on the door after all.

"Oh sure. Sorry about that. So, how can I help?" I answer while stepping inside.

"It's a long story, Kim. I'd rather talk about it just once. Can we reach your mother?" She looks at me with a mixture of worry and curiosity. Well, what exactly could have happened in one night and at my house?

"Ok. She's in the kitchen." I follow her there."Mom."

"Yes Kimmie? Oh, Hi Ronald. Good to see you. We just finished eating breakfast. Would you like something as well? I'll have something ready in a minute."

"Good Morning Anne. Thanks but I'll pass. I just had breakfast a moment ago. Say… I need to ask you a couple of favors. Can we… uuuh…talk?" now I triggered her curiosity as well.

"Sure thing. How can I help. Are you feeling ok?" God I just love these women. They make me feel so welcome.

"Oh yeah. I'm just fine. Ehmm… It's better If we get seated for this." I motion them to the chairs. They both share each other a glance before complying. "Right. Before anyone might overreact I need you to know that everything is under control. Got that?" Now they are definitely worried, but they both nod. "Good. I'll tell you in a single sentence and then I explain the details. All right, here we go." I take a deep breath. "Shego is at my house."

…

In a split second Kim jumps up from her chair and head to the door. I have to tackle her of the ground to stop her. "Kim! Stop! It's ok." She doesn't want to hear it.

"What? No! I won't let her hurt you. I'm going to kick her so hard…"

"ENOUGH! Stop it!" She's surprised by my reaction. So different from the kind approach I had only yesterday. Probably scared to hurt me in some way she cools down quickly. If I have to play her guilt to keep her in check I will. I'm a bastard like that.

"But… But…" she tries to come up with something without being in open contrast with me. I don't like being treated with kid gloves. I get up and offer my hand to help her do the same.

"Really, it's ok. Please listen to the whole story before jumping to conclusions, will you?" A timid nod is the best I get out of her. Fine. I'll work on her Kimness later on. She sits back on the chair and I start explaining the situation. I conveniently skip the part involving Tara and Yori and also her seduction game. I don't even go too deep in our plan to keep her out of jail. No need to stir a ruckus.

"Basically Anne, all I need is for you to borrow her some of your stuff and give her a proper check. It's not like she can walk inside an hospital and ask for a doctor. You are built more like her than my mother." She's looking at me coldly with her arms crossed. Kim is steaming.

"Let me get this straight. You want me to borrow my clothes and give a check up to the woman who hurt my daughter and you so many times?" I nod. "And you expect me to do that simply because I should trust your judgment about something you can't share completely with us?" Another nod. "Ok. Just so that we are clear about it. I'll help."

"MOM?" By her reaction I guess that's not what Kim was expecting. "But… but.. Why?"

"Because Kimmie, I trust Ron to make the right choices when it comes to people. If he thinks we can trust her and that she's worth being helped than I will."

"But... She evil!"

"Kimmie, he has proven over and over that is heart is always in the right place. And besides I think you are a little biased when it comes to that woman. Not that I blame you for that. I probably would be as well in your place."

"Thanks Anne. That means a lot." Then I turn to Kimberly. "Listen Kim, I understand your point. In different circumstances I wouldn't want to have anything to do with her, but this is too much of a chance for us to let it pass." She frowns a little.

"Yeah, well. I can understand that. What I don't like is the way you are treating her. Why are you so nice? She doesn't deserve it. Not after what she has done to me. To us." Uh. I understand that in the whole sitch she doesn't make a distinction between Drakken and Shego, but I have been inside the whole situation and I have a different look on her responsibilities.

"Listen Kim. I neither can nor want to change your mind about her. Yeah, she a mean and evil person that could be treated badly for the thing she did. But that's her, not me. If I were to treat her like that what would it say about me?" She doesn't like this in the slightest, but she doesn't want to ask me to be less of a person than I am for the sake of her grudge. She gives up.

"Fine. I get it. You are right, but let it be heard that I don't like it. Not a single bit." I nod.

"Thanks Kim. I know that it's difficult to let it go." She shakes her head.

"No. It's ok. This is not about me. You have been dealing with the whole situation from the get go. I can't just jump on the ship and demand to be in charge. I trust you to do the right thing with her. But I don't trust her at all you hear? If she just hurt you even a little bit they won't find her body. Did I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear, Kim. I'll make sure to pass her this message." She looks at me oddly.

"You won't do any of that. I'm going to tell her straight in her face." Whoa! Hold it right there.

"I don't think that's a good idea. In fact you shouldn't come with us at all."

"What? Why? You can't expect to…"

"Kim. Kim. The two of you in the same room at the same time is never a good idea. I'd rather play with explosives and fire any day of the week. She is already tense as it is."

"But.. but.. You really think that I can't control myself in front of her?" I shake my head.

"I don't think so. I know so. She's not a nice person and you are more than willing to find an excuse to beat her to a pulp. Who did I pin on the ground to stop her from going there and commit a crime?" She looks a little hurt by my remark but she doesn't object. "Fine, listen. You can come with us but you are going to wait outside until I break the news to her and only if she's all right with it. Ok?"

"Fine. But I'm doing this for you, not for her. Got it?" I smile.

"You are the best Kim. Thank you so much." I kiss her on the cheek and she blushes.

"I-I-it's nothing. Really."

"Yes it is. I know exactly that the most difficult thing for you is to restrain your Kimness. Thanks for the effort. Well then. Shall we go?"

Ten minutes later we are in my back garden again. I slip inside after telling to wait for me to signal them to come in. I don't want to find myself in the middle of a war.

"Shego? I'm back."

"Took you long enough." There she is. Coming down from the stairs clad only with a towel. Oh boy, is she trying to kill me? Focus on the matter at hand. "Stop drooling. Where is my stuff?"

"Outside. With someone I'd like you to meet." She doesn't like the sound of that.

"Who? Just how many people are going to know that I'm here?"

"It's a doctor. Someone I trust to keep this secret. I told her to wait outside until you were ready to see her."

"Her? It's a woman then. And you trust her?" I nod. "Fine, tell her to come in. I really need to have my wounds checked. They are taking too long to heal. I'll be waiting in the living room." I go back to the door and tell Anne to come in. Kim on the other hand has to wait outside some more. One person at time it's better. And after all Anne looks enough like Kim to let Shego understand exactly who's aware of her presence here. We reach Shego who resting on the couch.

"Shego? I'd like you to meet Dr. Anne Possible. Kim's mother." The striking resemblance with her daughter is enough to make Shego stiffen at the sight. She looks at me and I simply give her a nod to confirm my trust.

"Pleased to meet you Dr. Possible." They shake hands.

"Likewise." There is a cold undertone in both their voices that lets me know what are their real feelings. Oh well. I can't expect them to like each other, can I? "Ron you should step outside while I give her a check. If you don't want to stay here and enjoy the show I mean." Oh. Teasing me, Anne? Watch out.

"Weeell. If you are going to get in the same state of undress I might just give it a thought." Oops. I actually said that out loud. Damn Jester./I aim to please./ Anne eyes widen to an impossible size as her face goes trough different shades of red. I'm not quite sure which is which when it come to embarrassment and outright indignation. I'm not going to find out though. "But I can't see that happening so I might just go out and keep Kim company. Call me when you are finished." I simply remove myself from the room, before she has a chance to figure out if indignation can overcome embarrassment.

As I leave I hear her mutter something about disrespectful children and Shego agreeing. Well at least I gave them some common ground. Let's just hope they won't use it to bury me. I reach Kim who's waiting outside. "Hey Kim."

"Ron. Is everything all right in there?" She' concerned for her mother and I can't blame her. Shego isn't renown for being a person you would entrust you loved ones to.

"Everything fine. I kinda broke the news about your presence here. The fact that she didn't start throwing plasma all around is a good sign." She nods.

"I guess. Hey Ron, thanks for trusting me with this. I know it must be difficult for you, after what happened between us and…"

"Yeah it is. But it's not because of you. I simply outgrew my childishness and realized that I must think and act for myself, also I can't take things for granted. We are all humans. We are bound to make mistakes. As long as we strive to make the best out of it, though, it's going to be all right."

"Wow, Ron. That's sounds really mature. You really grew a lot this past month."

"Eh. I guess I did. Life has a way to kick you forward or to crush you while trying. I got lucky. We both did."

"Sigh. You are right. We really have a long road ahead of us, don't we? I mean, to make things like before." I shake my head.

"We can't make things like before, Kim. It would mean that we didn't learn anything. We can make things better, though, for the both of us." She smiles.

"I know we can. Me and you Ron, we are Unstoppable."I can't help but chuckle.

"Yeah. Team Possible 2.0: Unstoppable." We both share this light moment as only two friends without a care in the world can. We are on good path. Step by step we are going to rebuild. And it will be really better than before.

"Kids." Anne is calling us from inside the house. "Come on in. Both of you. We are finished." I share a look with Kim and she nods firmly. Things are in control. We get inside an reach the living room were Anne and Shego are waiting. She is now wearing a couple of jeans and a t-shirt. I can't help but notice how this last item of clothing is a little restrictive on her. God bless the Possible's slim built. Shego notice my appreciation raise an eyebrow and give me half a smirk. She puffs her chest out a little more. Tease. Kim doesn't notice this but Anne is more aware. She gives me a little scowl and I simply shrug. Hey I'm a guy. I don't need a good reason to drool over a woman.

"Kimmie."

"Shego."

Whoa. Turn off the air conditioner. The temperature suddenly dropped below zero. Well, better this than the opposite. Let's warm up things around here.

"Fine, now that we all introduced each other let's move on. Kim you have something to say right." She doesn't remove her sight from Shego.

"That's right. Shego, I'll make it simple. You hurt him, you die." Her answer is a wicked smile. What is she up to?

"Now, now, Kimmie. I have no intention whatsoever to hurt Ronnie here." Ronnie? Since when? Oh no. You aren't going to…"He's such a sweet guy. Why would I ever hurt him? Who would keep me warm at night?" I see Kim wince but she doesn't give him to the provocation.

"Yeah. Like that's ever going to happen. He would rather lose is arm than touch you."Actually it's more like the other way round Kim.

"Oh Kim. You are so naïve. Do you really think that he didn't want anything from me for his help? Please. Although it wasn't that bad of a deal. Your friend has some good arguments. Think Princess. You didn't notice how smooth he became?" Something must have clicked in both the Possible women because they turn their face to me so fast that I heard their neck snap.

"Ron?" they speak in unison.

"Uh? Oy! You don't really believe her, do you?" Silence. They look from me to Shego and back.

"*Sniff* You are so mean, Ronnie. After all the things you said to me. All those promises. And after yesterday night…"

"Uh? What? Nothing happened yesterday between you and me." Now Kim is looking at me almost despaired.

"Oh yeah? Who threatened me to throw me outside if I didn't do as you asked? Who threatened to slap me? You took advantage of my situation." Ugh. Those are actually my words. Does she want me to lie to them in order to drag myself out of this? Well Bitch. You've got another thing coming. Jester time!

"Now, Shego. If you are going to say such things let us be completely honest. I actually said that I would slap you into submission like the bitch you are."The Possibles gasp at this. I walk forward until I'm staring in her eyes, our face just inches apart. "As matter of fact that rule still applies." I see her swallow hard. "Shall we enforce it?" She shakes her head. "Maybe Kim would like to help me here." I turn to look at her and I see her shocked expression morph into a wicked one. Uh uh uh. She steps forward and Shego steps back. Are hands raised to surrender.

"Fine. Fine, I take that back. Nothing happened between him and me." Great! I made them think that I was kidding while I was actually telling the truth." In fact I proposed him to have sex in exchange for his help and he turned me down."

"YOU DID WHAT? HE DID WHAT?" Awww. I almost got away with it and she had to pour more fuel on that fire.

"Ron is this true? Did she really? Did you? Why? I mean you did the right thing. But still…. Ron you like girls, don't you?" OOOYY! How did we get to question my sexuality all of a sudden?

"I think he does Kimmie. I mean if the kiss she gave that girl, Tara was her name, is any indication."

"Hey! I was the Kissee there, not the Kisser." Ah crap. Cat's out of the bag.

"R-R-Ron? Y-You… kissed Tara? How? When? Here? She was here last night? Why didn't you tell me? Are you dating her? Why her and not me? Don't you like me? You said you liked me." I grab her shoulder and shake her.

"Kim. KIM! Snap out of it. Don't you see that she's playing you? Yes Tara was here yesterday. I haven't told you because the less people know what's going on inside this house the better it is. She brought Rufus back. And yes she kissed me. And I kissed her back. But I'm not dating her for the same reasons I'm not dating you." She finally seems to relax, but something clicks in her mind and she looks at me like a lost puppy.

"You mean that you love her too?" Of all the reasons I gave her for not dating THAT is the one she remembers the most? Well I'm flattered but it doesn't help.

"Kim! No! Calm down! Sigh you women are going to be the death of me. Listen Kim, as I told you I'm not going to date anyone for the time being. Too much shit flying around to be in a committed relationship right now. Remember AAALL the talk we had yesterday?" She nods and she seems to relax, completely this time. "Good. Now stopping listening to Shego, she's just pushing your buttons. You know how she is." I glare at said woman. You are going to regret that.

"Uuuh Right. Sorry. Got a little carried away there. But… you really kissed her?" Not this shit again.

"Kim. For the last time. YES I KISSED HER. Just as I kissed you when you stamped you lips on me that night. Remember? Moodulator. I'm a teenage guy, Kim. If a girl kisses me I'm going to kiss her back even before my brain kicks in and tell me to stop. Got that?" she nod. She still seems a little shaken, though. Holy fuck. All my problems right now are steaming from a woman or another. God help me.

"Fine. I'm ok. Sorry about that…. Still, did you really mean…."

"Kim!" I almost growl her name out.

"…Sorry…." She seem to have finally finished with her hysteria. Shego is on the couch laughing like crazy.

"Oh, that was priceless. Thanks Stoppable. Didn't have that much fun in a while."

"Laugh it up Shego. While you can." My not-so-veiled threat isn't enough to stop her amusement, she flinches a little though. "Fine since we all done here I think that we can call it a day. Anne thanks for your help. I really mean it."

"It's ok. Don't worry about it. I trust you to do the right thing. About everything, Ron." Is it only me or there was some kind of advice there? Never mind. I escort the two women to the back door.

"Uhmm.. Ron? Sorry about before. I'm still a little confused about my feeling for you."

"Don't worry Kim. I shouldn't have leashed out like that either. I call you later. This time for real ok? Thanks for coming. Bye." I close the door as she wave at me. Man. It's only nine in the morning and I'm tired of this day already. Fuck it. I've got a lot to do. There is a book in my room that's waiting for me. Let's get to work.

* * *

Author note

Uh! This chapter turned to be longer than I thought. Ah well. Not much to say about this one. Shego and Ron got things cleared between them and their game is on. Wonder where it will lead. Kim is still a little unbalanced in the head. It's been only a day after all. Felt like a month to me, though. I hope you like this one. See ya soon.


	34. Art

**Chapter 21 – Art**

* * *

My legs are numb. Say what you want, but sitting in the Lotus Position for over two hours is a long shot from being comfortable even while sitting on a couch. Still, the book clearly states that I have to keep this position to achieve the inner focus needed for the first stage of the Art. Yeah, but what exactly does it means 'Exclude the World from your sense and it will exclude you from Its'? Hmm. Let's review from the beginning while I let my muscles rest. Ouch. Was that noise made by my spine?

Ok, here we are. I open the book again on my knees and start reading all over. Inner focus… Blah, blah. Lotus Position… More rubbish… Yadda yadda. Ah ok.

According to this book we humans, as all living creatures, are only perceiving a little part of the World. Makes sense. There is a lot of difference between what we can see with our senses and from a single point of view. Hmm. This opens the difference between Reality and Truth. Ok. If I understand it right Reality is what exist regardless of our perception of it. It's the world in its unadulterated state. Both sides of the Moon. They are both Real but we can only see on side of it. That limited perception of Reality is our Truth. Since It's impossible for two individuals to experience the same, identical perception then every person has its own Truth. That is why, albeit Reality is the same for everyone, people have different outlook on the same things. Good. Clear so far. When Truths overlap the collective vision is what makes 'The World'. But since this World is nothing but a puzzle made of imperfect pieces it's bound to have some fractures. The Art is about slipping inside those fractures to avoid being perceived.

How do we achieve this? By cutting away ourselves from the perceptions of the World starting from ourselves. A form of self and collective hypnosis. So the first step is becoming aware of yourself. You need to know what to hide in order to disappear. Otherwise you would be like a bunny hiding behind a rock with its ears sticking out. All right. Back to the Lotus Position. Argh.

With no little amount of pain I resume the starting position. I straighten my back, control the breathing, focus on my heartbeat.

Dive.

Explore yourself with your senses. Deeper. The heartbeat is not just a sound, it's a motion. A muscle pulsating over and over. Feel it. The metal structure of Legacy it's part of you. Acknowledge it. Follow the flow of your blood through your veins. Every cell is part of you. Every cell is you. Reach out for the brain. Its silent working is the proof of your ego. Cogito ergo Sum. Embrace yourself.

Uh? What's this? A thin thread is spreading from my brain to somewhere outside my body. I reach for it. When I make contact I'm flooded by a... song? I know this feeling. I know this voice. On the other end of this thread The Blade is waiting for my call. Another part of me I need to acknowledge.

"**King…"** her voice is inviting, tantalizing. She promises forbidden pleasures of blood and death. Not now. Your time will come. **"I'll be waiting…" **It takes an effort to detach myself from her sultry voice. Let's go back.

I haven't ever been more aware of myself than this. The air rushing in my lungs, the flow of my blood through my veins, the silent working of Legacy on my body.

…

What is this? What are you doing to me? What is that you are building all over? Why am I not scared at all? What is this feeling of absolute love that you are sending me?

Questions, questions, questions. I need no answer. I don't need to understand. I need to accept myself.

When I open my eye again I'm back on the couch. This is me.

"Stoppable? Hel˜lo! Do you hear me?" Shego is in front of me waving her hand.

"Of course I hear you. What the hell are you doing?"

"Doy! What am I doing? What are YOU doing? I've been trying to wake you up for one hour. I though you went into a coma again. I tried to shake you but you were stiff as a board." One hour? Holy shit! It's way past noon. "Are you ok? Do I have to call Anne?"

"No. No, I'm fine. I was meditating. Yes, meditating. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok. You were breathing after all. Though when that sword appeared I was ready to run away." Sword? I look in my lap and there she is. Quietly resting on my legs, like a lover on a lazy afternoon. Cute. I'm distracted from my contemplation by the sudden roar of my stomach. It's loud enough for Shego to hear. "Yep. My though exactly. Shouldn't you be in the kitchen getting something ready for your 'guest'?" I laugh.

"Oh so you are a guest when you feel like it, uh? Fine, but I need your help."

"My help? Why? Aren't you supposed to be a genius in the kitchen?" How does she knows that?

"Yeah. I'm good. But I'm a little indisposed at the moment." I wave the stump of my arm. She has the decency to look a little ashamed. "You don't mind… lending me an hand, do you?" My attempt at a joke is lame at best but she smiles.

"Fine, you Buffoon. I'll help you."

With her help cooking is easier. With only one hand peeling vegetables is pretty difficult after all. In spite of this the outcome is very good. Not my personal best, mind you, but still above average. Ah, when you are a genius nothing can truly stop you. An hour and a lunch later we are both sitting on the couch watching TV. Nothing truly interesting, just something to kill some time while digesting our meal. There's no way that you can avoid helping yourself with seconds or third servings when I'm cooking.

"I have to admit it, Stoppable. You know your stuff when it comes to food. Ever considered going pro? God. You are going the death of my waist line."

"You didn't seem to mind while you were helping yourself with my 'Risotto alla Stoppable'." She chuckles.

"Yeah. That was some good stuff. Would you like to become my personal chef?" My turn to laugh.

"And hide my skills from the world? Not happening. You are broke by the way. How are you supposed to pay me?" She licks her lips while looking at me.

"Well. With all this food I would definitely have to work out more than usual. You could help me with that too." The double entendre is really tempting.

"Oh? Shouldn't you pay me even more for that?" No way I'm conceding point this easily, Shego.

"Cocky… You are way too cocky for your own good." We get closer and closer as our exchange goes on.

"Perhaps. But I won't get any closer to you by being modest."

"True. But if you get too close to the flame you might get yourself burned."

"Some things are just worth the risk." By now our lips are just inches apart. That's when she pushes me back. Point for me. Good. I don't like a game when it's too easy. Getting up from the couch she heads to the stairs and to the next floor without looking back or saying anything. She doesn't like losing, that's for sure. On the other hand I'm a master at it. Losing I mean. So I don't have any fear of it. Too bad for you Shego. If you can't win against a loser what does that makes you?

With nothing better to do I resume my studies. Step two. Cut away the World. Back to the, ugh, cranky Lotus Position. Once more I need to grasp the entirety of my existence, both inside and outside my body. It takes a few minutes. Better than the whole hour needed the first time, but still a long shot to be proficient at it. The next two hours are uneventful and the progress is slow. Talented or not I cannot hope to learn so quickly. Actually completing the first step is quite the achievement already. According to the book it would take almost an year to make it fast enough to be truly useful in the mastery of the Art. Besides I need to learn to do it while moving and even during a stressful situation. I only hope that I can learn some more this summer at Yamanouchi. Oh well. Let's see what Shego is up to. I make my way upstairs and it's awfully silent.

"Shego?" No answer. She's not in my parent's room or the bathroom. Where could she have gone? Certainly she hasn't left the house. Where…? Uh? What was that? Having heard a noise I focus my senses. Something is moving and… Ragged breathing? It's coming from the attic. I make my way there. The door is half open. I take a peek inside. There, in the low light filtering from behind piles of boxes, the feminine figure of Shego is moving in a sensual manner. The few rays of light are reflecting on her glistening skin. She is… working out? Are those Katas? But… she's still wounded.

I knock on the door to let my presence be known before stepping in. I don't like the idea of being fried by a plasma blast just because I scared her. Hearing the noise of my fist meeting the wood she stops her movements.

"Hey, Shego." I make my way in without waiting for an explicit invitation. It's my house after all. "Are you sure it's a good idea to make all those movements with those holes on your legs? Your wounds might reopen." She looks at me sideway.

"Yeah. I've been laying around far too long for my tastes. I'm not really a fanatic when it come to exercising, but I have been doing nothing for almost a month now. I can't allow my skill to get rusty. Besides I'm being careful. I'm not putting any serious weight on my wounded leg." I watch at her nicely exposed legs. Wow. I didn't know that Anne had this kind of stuff. Nice shorts. Does she go running in the morning wearing that stuff? I definitely need to keep up with the morning jog from now on. "I know what you are thinking, ya little perv. How long were you spying on me by the way?" Without stopping ogling her I answer truthfully.

"A minute or so. I knocked when I was fairly sure of not risking to be on the receiving end of one of your blasts. Nice outfit by the way. A little tight I reckon. Well it's only a bonus in my opinion." The honesty of my answer takes her by surprise. Tch, tch. You should know by now that you shouldn't take me for granted. I finally raise my stare to meet hers.

"Perv. But you are right. I'm definitely hot, am I not?"She stretch around to prove her point. Not that is needed in any way, but it's still appreciated.

"I not going to disagree with you on that point. Anyway I was just looking for you. You sort of disappeared before." I don't want to twist her loss at our previous session. Only the weak boast on a past victory. The strong aim the ones awaiting in the future. … Hey that was a good one. I file it away for a later use. She looks somewhat embarrassed anyway.

"Yes, I needed to work out some steam. I've been itching for some action for a while now." That's when an idea pops in my twisted little mind.

"Care for a sparring session?" she blinks a couple of times, unsure if she heard right.

"A sparring session… with you?" she doubtful. For many reasons I suppose. First, there was no double entendre in my statement. Second she doesn't know exactly how The Jester might react in seemingly hostile situation. She's still wounded and she has no knowledge of the true scope of my skills. Despite my handicap an eventual battle might me too much in my favor for her liking.

"Yeah. I'm not going to react, though. You are still wounded and your ability to react might be a little dull. And I wish to focus on dodging and blocking before moving to attacking. I need to relearn a lot of stuff. Losing an arm definitely weights on your combat stile. So? What do you say? Would you like to help each other?"

"You won't react? Only defending and dodging?" I nod. "Oh. All right then. How far do you want to push things?"

"As far as you can without compromising your wounds. Beside that hold nothing back. Only no plasma power inside the house. I don't want to end the day putting off the fire." She laughs.

"Fine…. But what if I do?"Her tone is half mischievous and half threatening. I answer her narrowing my eye and pulling a little on the thread that's connecting me to the Blade. It doesn't have any visible effect but the air becomes heavy all of a sudden. It has the effect I hoped. "Oh. Uh. Got that. Gee… No need to get all worked up. Kids these days." My turn to laugh.

"Well, you asked." I take a few steps away from her before dropping in a defensive position. With only one arm is going to be tricky. She does the same although her stance is definitely offensive.

"Ready?" I nod. It's all the answer she needs before leaping at me in a flash. If I didn't know it was coming my face would be blood mask now. Rolling on the ground I try to restore the distance to no avail. She's too skilled to let me do that. Despite her wound she's very fast on her feet. I deflect a couple of blows with my hand and a knee, but that compromises my balance allowing her to kick the other leg and making me fall on my ass. Round one is for her.

"Pfft. Come on Stoppable. You have to do better if you want to keep up with me. Not that you ever will anyway. Is that the best you can do without your magic stick?" Mockery doesn't work with me Bitch. I'm used to it. I stand back on my feet. This time I take no stance at all. My arm is resting peacefully at my side.

"Eh. I'll show you what I can do, Shego. Bring!" She needs no further invitation. Once more she cover the distance between us in a moment. This time though, I'm ready. Tapping my insanity, and through it into that cold stone of compressed fear laying at the bottom of my stomach, I call forth the 'Power of Cowardice'.

Like that night I can see the flow. But this time is different. Without being controlled by it I don't need to escape. The only thing I need is to face that fear head on.

The second round is way different from the first. This time I'm dominating the battle despite being on the defensive. I use only the minimum required strength to deflect her blows, avoiding those I can't by sliding along them. It's like she punching and kicking water. I don't simply see the flow. I'm the flow itself. Stepping away from her line of sight I keep myself just a little outside of her perceptions and… AH! Is this…? Of course. It's the same. Why haven't I thought of it before? Let's try. First acknowledge myself. Second, Cut off the World. Third, Step inside the fracture. *SLAM*

"Ouch!" Shego s' elbow meets my abdomen violently. I'm on my ass again. So much for my delusion.

"What was that?" She out of breath. How long have we being going at it?

"Uh? That what?" Now that I think about it, I'm rather spent too.

"That… That!" She's pointing at me. Well that's helpful.

"What exactly are you talking about, Shego?" She looks at me with a typical Duh expression.

"Don't make fun of me, Stoppable. I'm talking about you. First it's like you became a leaf in the wind. No matter what I did I couldn't hit you. Then after you stood still for a moment It was like you were made of fog. I swear that when I finally hit, you were about to disappear into thin air like a…" Realization hits both of us at the same time, but she's the one to voice it. "Ninja! You are a friggin' Ninja. Like that girl yesterday night. You little runt. Is that how it is? How you foiled all of our plans? You were secretly a Ninja all this time?" I can't help but laugh. Me a Ninja?

"He he he. Shego. Come on. Did I strike you as a Ninja before today? Nah. I haven't been training in ninjutsu before, but 'that girl' said I have talent for it. Turn out she was right. Who would have thought?"

"Well, definitely not me. That was wicked by the way. How did you do it?" She helps me getting up.

"It's a secret." She frowns. "Although I couldn't explain it even if it wasn't. For what I know I'm not simply doing it well enough. I'm doing it in a whole different manner altogether and… I'm not making any sense to you, am I?" She shakes her head. "Well to make it simple I don't even know myself. I definitely don't know how to explain it to you even if I could. Sorry about that. It would require years of training to achieve it by the way."

"You just said that you didn't receive any training in it just a moment ago. Which one is the truth?"

"I also said that I have talent for it. Yo… My friend told me that I'm a natural when it comes to be forgotten and unnoticed."

"So… basically you are a Ninja because you are a social outcast? Sucks to be you." Ugh. Evil woman.

"Did you have to phrase it like that, Shego?" She nods with a smile.

"Of course. I would have missed your hurt expression otherwise." This bitch.

"Well since you had your fun let's call it a day. There is something I need to review and a letter to send. I'll see you later."

I go back to the living room to fetch the book. Let's see. Nothing like this is mentioned. Yet I almost managed to complete the Art. What went wrong? Didn't I cut off the World properly? Maybe that's it. I stepped outside her Truth skipping the whole self hypnosis process. Without convincing myself that I don't exist I managed only to blur myself instead of vanishing. But I have mastered the third step in one session. I definitely suck at doing things in the proper order. Let's just hope that this actually helps me. With my luck I might actually have made things more complex. I don't think anyone ever mastered the Art using the Power of Cowardice. If that's the case I might be walking a whole different road from what is described in the book. I need to contact Sensei and ask for his opinion. There is a Kunai in my room that will serve that purpose. Let's go.

* * *

Author note

Not really much to say on this one. Ron gets a little insight on the Art and discover that there isn't only one path to the same goal. Will it be a good or a bad thing in the long run? Maybe Sensei hold the answer. Maybe not. Keep reading to find out.

Peace!


	35. Night

**Chapter 22 – Night**

* * *

There. It's done. I've finished writing my letter to Sensei. All I need now is to stick it to the tree outside. I'm about to get up from my desk when suddenly Rufus stirs. He opens his small eyes to look at me.

"Hey Little buddy. Good to see you again." He looks at me sideway, pondering. He can tell I've changed. I give a lopsided smirk to reassure him "It's ok Rufus. I'm still me. Care for some cheese?" This kind of proposal is all he needs to put aside all doubts.

"Hhhk! Cheese!" He jumps on my shoulder and with him I make my way downstairs. It's good to have Rufus back with me. I've missed him more than my arm or eye. He's still looking at me, though. Well we have been apart for a long time. "Hk. Ron? Okay?" He's still concerned. Although Betty explanation cleared some stuff I still need to tell some details.

"I owe you a lot of explanations, buddy. Let's talk as we eat, ok? Tonight I'll make some Nacho. Are you in?" he bobs his head. Good little Rufus. Can't refuse a nacho if his life depended on it. "Aaand I'd really like to know how was your stay at Tara s'. Did she treat you well?" He nods again but then he looks sad.

"Hk. Tara cried lots. Argued lots. Parents, Bonnie. No sleep. More tears." I can feel a knot forming in my throat. Damn. She shouldn't have suffered like that for me. I have to make up for it.

"I see. I'm sorry about that. You helped her out. Good job." He gives me a thumb up. In the meanwhile we reached the kitchen. Shego is here pouring some coffee for herself… and for me? That's unexpected.

"Stoppable… and the pink freakish rodent." Rufus lets out a low growl. Shego doesn't even acknowledge it. "Would you like some coffee?" I nod.

"Yeah thanks." I take the cup from her hands. I'd like to point out how considerate it is for her to actually do such a little gesture, but I'm afraid that it would close her into her shell even more. So I simply accept it and move on. I take a sip. "Hey, this is good, Shego. How did you do it?"

"I added a drop of chocolate into the mixture. An old trick coming from my mother. She used to…" Then she seems to remember something and she stops. Whatever it was it must be painful cause her former good mood turns dark all of a sudden. Note to self: never inquire her on her family. She shakes her head as if to get rid of that memory "Never mind. I'm glad you like it."

We both move to the couch were we continue drinking in a comfortable silence. Rufus on the other hand keeps looking at her with suspicion. It doesn't seem that he's going to get along with her anytime soon. Well, it can't be helped.

As soon as we have finished I take both cups to take them into the sink. It's in that moment that our hands brush together for a second. Nothing happens and she simply retreat her hand allowing me to take her cup away. I don't know what prompted me to look back while I was going into the kitchen but I did. Still seated on the couch Shego is looking at her hand like she expects to see a bruise of some kind. What is she thinking about? Whatever.

I go back to the living room. She's still there examining her hand.

"Shego?" She turns to look at me. "I'll be in the back garden for a minute. I'll be right back to make dinner."

"Oh. Ok. I'll be right here." She's strangely quiet. What's wrong with her? With a mental shrug I leave the house and step outside. The cool breeze fells really good on my skin.

Taking the kunai from my back pocket I stab the note on the tree. "Hk? What that?"

I turn to look at Rufus who's still sitting on my shoulder. "It's a note for Sensei. Yori told me that one of them will take it to him if I did this." I turn to look at the piece of paper again…. IT'S GONE! Only the Kunai is still where I left it. Holy shit! These guys are amazing! Uh. Well there is no use in standing here anymore. I pocket the kunai again and leave. That was fast.

"Back already?" Shego barely had time to get up from the couch.

"Yeah. Well then, shall we get something prepped?"

With the two of us together it take very little to have a decent meal ready. Rufus didn't help. His dislike for her seems to keep him from being cooperative. Despite this we work in a light and cheerful atmosphere. She is in an unusual good mood. I wonder why. I've never seen her like this. It's kind of creepy.

After making the Nacho I've promised Rufus we all sit to eat in a comfortable silence. I like this atmosphere.

"Thanks." I snap my head up to look at Shego. I'm not quite sure what she's thanking me for, but I feel like asking would be out of place. Also, since I'm pretty oblivious when it comes to women, the reason might be pretty obvious to everyone but me. So I simply accept her gratitude, for whatever it might be.

"You are welcome." We speak no more. Rufus is looking back and forth from Shego to me. Don't ask little fella. I don't have a clue. The rest of dinner is uneventful and I go back to my room with Rufus right after I finished with the dishes. I leave Shego in the living room to watch some TV. I have to call Kim and define our common line in front of the media. Tomorrow we are going back to school and I can just bet that the press will be right there. I don't know if they guessed that I will be there too, but since they didn't manage to talk to Kimberly for the whole month they will jump at the change of cornering her as soon as she steps outside of the school grounds. Better be ready.

I pick the phone and push the second quick dial button that I have set on Kim number. It takes just a couple of seconds for her to answer.

"Ron?"

"Hey Kim. How's it going? I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"Not at all. I've just finished dinner. How are you by the way? Is Shego giving you any trouble? If you want me to put her I her place you just have to say so." I laugh.

"Thanks Kim, but it's not needed. Everything quiet and Shego isn't bothering me at all. She tends to be a little hurtful with her words but that's just who she is."

"Yeah. She's evil to the bone. Watch out around her, ok?"

"Will do. Don't worry about it. Anyway I called you to discuss about our statements tomorrow."

Despite her unwillingness I manage to convince her to share the blame for what happened to our team. I know that she's feeling guilty about it, but I don't want to run from my responsibilities. I know that a part of the media will dig in our relationship trying to find some dirt on us. I'm not going to give them that kind of satisfaction. With the details ironed out we finish the conversation with a goodnight. Tomorrow is going to be another long day.

Since is still pretty early and I don't want to try the Art until I've heard a response from Sensei I opt for some chores. While I've managed to make some laundry there is still a lot to do. The following hours are spent loading and unloading the washing machine, cleaning rooms and changing sheets. By eleven the house looks like new.

I haven't seen Shego in a while. Is she still watching TV? Before going to check on her I drop Rufus in my room. My little friend fell asleep in my pocket. Placing him into is box I make sure that he finds a comfortable position. From there I make my way to the living room. Yep. She's still there, sleeping like a log in front of the TV. Her slender from is resting on the couch.

She's beautiful. Not simply hot. Beautiful. Long, dark hairs. Smooth skin. Thin black lips that I'd like to ravish. Something inside me is urging me to take advantage of her. Something else is pushing me to take care of her. Conflicting instincts. I don't wish to disturb her sleep and as cool as it might be I really can't carry her to bed with only one arm. For these reason the best I can do I putting a blanket on her. She shifts a little as I do so, trying to find a better position, her legs sliding against each other. Oh boy, how I'd like to run my hand all over them. She's right. I'm a pervert. That's required to be a male. I need to control this urge and therefore I leave her without another glance. I leave the TV on.

I return to my room turning off every light along the way. The house falls into a warm darkness. It's almost midnight and I'm in for another sleepless night. Tough luck.

Changing in my pajamas I spare another glance for the book resting on my desk. There is so much I need to learn. A thought for another time. I don't need to fill my mind just before sleeping. It definitely won't help me in my search for rest. I slip under the covers and turn off the last light. Let us try to find some rest in the embrace of the darkness. Goodnight. /'night./

* * *

Warmth. That's the general feeling. Where am I?

I try to look around but I don't have eyes.

I try to touch but I don't have hands.

I try to speak but I have no mouth.

There is someone with me.

It hurts. My arms. My eyes. They hurt. I don't have them but they hurt.

The pain is unbearable. No. Let me go. I don't want to suffer anymore. Who are you? Let me go. Let me go! Why are you touching me? Why are you hurting me? Let me go!

"**Father…"**

* * *

"AAAAAAH! GOD!" I bolt upright. My hand is gripping around the empty socket that used to host my right eye. My God, the pain. It takes a couple of moments to control my breathing. I'm a mess of sweat. God that hurt.

"Hk? Ron?" My scream woke up Rufus. It s a wonder why it didn't wake up the whole neighborhood.

"*ANF* I'm ok. Don't worry. *ANF* It was just a nightmare." My long time friend doesn't buy it. He knows me all too well. "Fine. It's just some pain. Don't sweat it. I'm doing it enough for the both of us." I get up from the bed. There is no way I'm going to get anymore sleep tonight. 3.00 AM. Wonderful. "get back to sleep, Rufus. I'm just going to the bathroom. No use in both of us losing our sleep. I mean it Rufus. It happened almost every night. Better get used to it."

"Hk. Sure?"

"Yeah. Just go back to sleep. Maybe I'll take some fresh air outside while I'm at it." He nods begrudgingly and goes back to sleep. I envy his ability to fall asleep on command. I wish I could do that.

Trying not to make any (further) noise I walk to the bathroom. I flip on the switch and look at myself in the mirror. Nice face. I look like I died. Oh wait I did. I remove the eyepatch before looking in the mirror again. What a sight. The scar is almost faded, but that empty space is not something you'd show around. Now I know how that guy in 'Fight Club' felt. No wonder he turned insane for the lack of sleep. Luckily I was crazy even before this shit happened. Right Tyler? /Yeah. We are such lucky ducks./

My pajama is all sticky. I need a shower. I strip and throw it into a corner. I'm about to remove my boxer when…

"Can't sleep?" I turn around to stare into her eyes. Not only I didn't lock the door. I left it wide open. I completely forgot about Marla err... Shego.

Oddly enough, with all the skin I have to cover, the empty orbit is the only place that my only hand wishes to hide. Somehow I'd feel more exposed if she saw it than 'Little Ronnie' down there.

"Ah. Uh. Yes. Uhmm. You too?" She smirks a little.

"Yeah. I always found difficult to sleep when someone is screaming like he's being skinned." I can't avoid the blush. Both for the fact that I woke her up and for the stupid question.

"Ah. Right. Didn't think about that. Sorry." She shakes her head.

"It's okay. I guess it can't be helped. Does it hurts? Sorry. Stupid question. Of course it does."

She steps forward. I'm too tired to question her until she grabs my hand and forcefully pull it away.

"No." I turn my head to hide it from her.

"Why are you hiding it?" I don't turn my face back to her while answering.

"Because… it's… I.. I don't know."

"Show me." Her voice is soft. Inviting. I never knew she could speak like this.

"No."

"You don't need to hide your scars. They are not proof of your weakness. They are medals for your strength." Somehow that's just what I needed to hear. I turn to look at her as she looks at me. We stare at each other for more than a few minutes.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I felt like it. Now, you were about to take a shower right?" I nod. "Go ahead. I'll bring you a change of clothes. I'll leave them just outside the door." I'd like to question her more about her behavior but that would be out of place. I close the door and get into the shower. The warm water on my skin is exactly what I needed to wash away the remnants of that nightmare. A few minutes later I step outside of the bathroom with a towel around my waist. As promised she left a change of clothes right there on the floor. I step back inside to dry myself ant to get dressed. Another ten minutes later I'm outside of the bathroom again. Where is Shego? I walk downstairs with only the sound of my bare feet accompanying me there. There she is, leaning against the counter with a cup of something that smells like chocolate for the both of us.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah. For me?" I point at the cup. She nods. "Thanks." We sip the chocolate in silence. It takes a few minutes to finish the sweet, warm liquid.

"Do you think you can manage to sleep now?" If not for her tone I would believe that she's asking me not to wake her up again.

"… Yeah. Thanks. I needed that." She knows that I'm not talking about the chocolate. There is an impressive number of things you can tell without actually saying them. She leaves the kitchen to fetch the blanket I put over her before.

"No Ronald. Thank YOU." And without other words she climbs the stairs to the second floor and to her room. It takes me a whole minute to get the fact that she called my name for the first time ever.

I'm not exactly sure of what just happened between us. I think that I just saw a side of Shego she isn't too keen to show around. I'm not exactly sure of what prompted to show it to me, but I'm not going to look into it more than she allows me. Perhaps it's because I told her about 'The Jester'. Perhaps it was just a whim. Doesn't matter. I'm grateful for what she did. Since I've left the hospital everyone treated me like I'm made of crystal. She was the first to acknowledge my wounds with respect instead of pity. That means a lot.

I make my way back to my room. To go there I need to walk in front of her door. I stop right there. I'm tempted to push that door open. Did it ever happen to you the feeling that a seemingly unimportant choice could affect the outcome of your future? Because that's what I'm feeling right now, as I'm staring at the handle of her door. I know she didn't lock it. I just know it. She's testing me.

She TRUSTED me with something back there. Some kind of softness she usually keeps for herself. Right now, if I'd open this door, it would be like taking advantage of what she gave me. Nothing short of a rape. I'm not going to do it. I simply place my hand on the door and speak loud enough for her to hear.

"Thanks, Shego."

From there I simply walk back to my room and slip inside my bed. Rufus wakes up long enough to watch me getting back to sleep. Somehow I know that I won't wake up screaming again tonight.

* * *

Author Note:

Fine! Why don't you write yourself you damn chapter?

Honestly, things are getting out of hand. I'd like to take credit for the way this relationship is developing but I can't. This damn chapter basically wrote itself. Don't mistake me: I like it. I would have written it again otherwise. Ah well. Let us not look too much into it. I'm a genius like that. Let me know how you feel about it.

Coming next:

Interlude - Green – Night

(Yup, same as this chapter, guess why) before

Chapter 23 – Monday

Where the rest of the school comes into play. Be ready for Felix, Monique, Bonnie, Barkin, Josh and Brick to make their appearances (not necessarily in this order).

See ya!

PS: Oh, and if by any chance you have yet to see 'Fight Club' do me the favor to rent it and watch it. Three times at least.


	36. Interlude Green Night

**Interlude - Green – Night**

* * *

Hmm… It's chilly. But I'm too comfortable to wake up and walk to my room. This couch is just… wait! Couch? Did I fell asleep watching TV? How did I became so careless all of a sudden? To leave myself so vulnerable? Why didn't the nightmares woke me up? They always do.

I'm about to crack my eyes open when I feel a familiar presence right above me. Stoppable?

I know that he's looking at me. I can feel his stare on my skin. Is he going to take advantage of me? Just try, Buffoon. I'll show just how much my plasma can burn you lower regions.

But he doesn't act. He just keep looking at me until he leaves. I can hear his footsteps climbing the stair. Is he gone? Opening my eyes I take a look around. Yep. I fell asleep on the couch. I'm getting too relaxed here. That's the kind of stuff that got me in trouble the first time. NEVER leave yourself exposed. I didn't have my powers back then but this doesn't mean… Oh? Is Stoppable coming back?

I don't know why I close my eyes again. It's not like I need to pretend I'm sleeping or something, but I was so taken before that I simply do it without thinking. I feel a little silly. He's back. I can feel his stare lingering over me again. Running over the whole length of my legs. Perv. Just like him. What?

Suddenly I'm enveloped by a soft, warm cloth. A… blanket? Did he get a blanket… for me? Why? He could simply wake me up. Oh. He didn't want to wake me up. That was… considerate. I can't help but shift my position again under the newfound warmth. Then he just leaves. That was… strange. I don't get him. What is he up to?

I don't understand. Why does he act like that? Hospitality? Is it that simple? I don't think so. Up until two days ago we were bitter enemies. Why does he go to such lengths for me? Ok maybe taking a blanket isn't that much of effort, but still why did he even bother?

Initially I thought that he was simply trying to be nice to avoid conflict between us during our somewhat forced permanence here. Now? I'm not so sure. I know that he wants me. I can feel it every time he looks at me. He even told me so himself. Yet he doesn't act on it. Why? Even when I proposed him in the first place.

No. That's not true. I tried to bargain myself for shelter. It's different.

"_It's not pity. It's respect."_

Was he serious? Does he respect me? That's unusual. I don't even remember a time when someone did that. Fear me they did, but respect me? I don't think so. Not even Dr. D respected me. Maybe he cared for me a little, but we always went along because he feared me. Stoppable on the other hand is… different.

Is it because he went all badass? No, that doesn't make sense. He didn't try to subdue me through fear except when I tried to do that to him myself. Is he treating me… as his equal? But….

I don't actually know what to feel about it. No one ever did it before. Not my mother, my brothers nor that man. Why? What does he have to gain from it? Is it a plan to get into my pants? No, it's too complex for his simple mind.

I don't understand it. I don't understand him. I don't understand myself. How am I supposed to act? It never happened to me before. I always knew what to do. I have always been in charge of myself. I hate this. Damn him. Why doesn't he just act like everybody else? I can't trust anybody. I don't want to trust anybody.

Oh, fuck him and the whole world. It's not worth losing my sleep. I need to go back to my room and.. get.. some…

* * *

"AAAAAAH! GOD!"

What? The sudden scream rips me out of my sleep. Did I fell asleep on the couch again? Idiot! My instincts kick into high gear as I jump upright. What's going on? All the lights are turned off. Are we under attack?

Focus on your surrounding Shego. Just like that. No strange sounds. After a few moments I hear the distinct sound of bare feet walking upstairs. It's not the kind of step of some sneaking or escaping. It must be Stoppable. Did he have a nightmare? The little bastard scared the shit out of me. I hear the bathroom door opening and the water running. Uh. Was it that bad?

Without knowing the reason I make my way toward the source of the sound. The darkness in the corridor on the second floor is cut in half by the light coming from the bathroom. I walk there trying not to make any noise. Not that I want to hide. It just come with the job of a thief. I stand right against the wall until I reach the opening.

Stoppable is looking at himself in the mirror. Is face his pale and sweaty. Whatever that dream was it mustn't have been pleasant. He's gripping his face now. Does his wounds still hurt? No. Phantom pains perhaps? I heard of them.

There is something wrong in this sight. Pain doesn't suit him. He used to be the one who could take a beating without flinching. Does he always hide the pain behind that smiling face? Did he do it even before? Maybe he was right. We are similar. Both hiding our wounds from the world. It took me a while to learn not to do that. Every scar is a proof of the obstacles we conquered. Our continued existence is a testament of our strength.

…

I can't take the sight of him berating over his wounds. He doesn't deserve it. It must be hard to overcome it by himself. I know something about it. Even if my wounds aren't as visible they are still there. I feel them every day.

He has always been scrawny but now he his ghostly. Yes his body is thin but there is strength in that frame of his. He is never going to be ripped. That's not how he's built. He's similar to a coiled spring. A bundle of nerves ready to act. I witnessed it myself. If his permanence in the hospital deprived him of something that is only the useless stuff. The experiences he has been through didn't weaken him. They sharpened him like… a blade. He just need to realize it.

I let my presence be known before he end his little striptease. Despite my previous analysis of his body I'm not attracted to him in a physical way. Nor in any other way for that matter.

"Can't sleep?" He turns around to look at me like he is surprised to see me in his house. As soon as he realizes that I'm there is hand bolts to hide the empty orbit of his eye. Yep, just as I thought. He doesn't understand.

"Ah. Uh. Yes. Uhmm. You too?" Eh. Who am I supposed to thank for that?

"Yeah. I always found difficult to sleep when someone is screaming like he's being skinned." He blushes when as soon as he realize how silly was his question.

"Ah. Right. Didn't think about that. Sorry."

"It's okay. I guess it can't be helped. Does it hurts? Sorry. Stupid question. Of course it does."

I steps forward. He doesn't realize what I'm up to until I pull his hand away from his face. He turns his head to hide the scar form me.

"No."

"Why are you hiding it?"

"Because… it's… I.. I don't know."

"Show me."

"No."

"You don't need to hide your scars. They are not proof of your weakness. They are medals for your strength." There. I've told him. What he makes with my statement it's up to him. He doesn't disappoint. Slowly he turns his head to me and I take the sight of his whole body. Thin yet tight muscles. Built more for speed than strength. We look at each other for a few minutes. This time his stare is ruled by curiosity instead of lust.

"Why are you doing this?" Now THAT is a good question. Might as well tell the truth.

"Because I felt like it. Now, you were about to take a shower right?" He nods. "Go ahead. I'll bring you a change of clothes. I'll leave them just outside the door."

That was awfully nice of me. Ah hell. I can at least be polite and return his hospitality a little. It certainly will not hurt in the long run. I reach his room and as soon as I begin searching his drawers the rat wakes up and growls at me.

"Calm down rodent. Ron is taking a shower. I'm only bringing him something to wear."

"Hk?" My behavior surprised him. He didn't expect me to play nice to him or his master. Neither I did, by the way. He looks at me warily. He doesn't trust me. He has always been the one with the brain among the two, but this time his mistrust is ill-placed.

Since I don't need to give him any explanation I take the stuff I was looking for and leave. Somehow I must have convicted him to give me the benefit of doubt. His master does trust me a little after all. It should count for something.

I drop the bundle of clothes right outside the door and continue to the kitchen. Nothing better than a warm chocolate to keep the nightmares at bay.

I mix the ingredients together. I don't use that crappy stuff you find ready to use. Ten minutes later, just as I have finished pouring the liquid into two cups, Stoppable arrives in the kitchen.

"Feeling better?" I can tell it already from his look, but asking never hurt.

"Yeah. For me? Thanks." Without other words we drink our chocolate. What a strange, peaceful feeling. It's been awhile since the last time I felt so comfortable. It's a good thing.

It's odd. I never thought that I could feel like this in a similar situation. Forced into hiding away from the world. Perhaps is this the reason. Or perhaps is this boy, no, young man beside me. Yeah. That's probably the case. A wounded animal just like me. A man dancing on the edge of madness.

When did you exactly became like this? Or have you always been like this and we never noticed? Yeah, always hidden by Princess light we never noticed how deep your darkness is. Ronald, the two of us are more similar than you believed possible.

"Do you think you can manage to sleep now?" as soon as I finished drinking I place my cup on the counter and make my way to the living room.

"… Yeah. Thanks. I needed that." Grateful words. For me. I never believed that it would come the day when I would hear them. I feel surprisingly good. Yeah, I know. This is what it was all about, all this time. Just a simple thing as a 'Thank you' can make a huge difference. Why didn't I get the chance to hear such words before?

"No Ronald. Thank YOU." I take the blanket from the couch and climb the stairs. I don't know why I took it. It's not like I don't have them on my bed.

When I reach the room I close the door behind me. I'm about to turn the key when my hand freezes. No. Maybe I don't need to shield myself from him. It's a mistake. Don't trust him. He will hurt me like everybody else. Despite my own conscience warning me to do otherwise I leave things as they are.

It's a risk. To trust someone with your safety while you sleep. I made that mistake before. Am I making it again?

I step away and sit on the bed, watching the wooden surface of the door. A few minutes later the sound of bare feet gets closer as Ron approaches my room. They stop right in front of it.

No.

Don't open it.

As I hear the sound of his hand brushing against the door my body tenses. If he open. If he comes in…

"Thanks Shego." Those words again. The softness in his voice. Relief invades me as the footsteps get farther away.

"No Ronald. Thank you." He doesn't know how much it means. After twelve years. Twelve years of nightmares and closed doors. Maybe I can sleep again like before. Such a long… time…. Safe…

* * *

Author Note:

Maybe this chapter doesn't make any sense to you but it does to me. I dropped a lot of hints in this one that will make sense later on. Much later on. Maybe a few of you can put the pieces together and figure out something already.

Anyway this is it. Next chapter Ron goes back to school.

See ya.


	37. Interlude Brown Cockroach

**Interlude – Brown – Cockroach**

I love dancing. I come to school early in the morning only to have the whole gym for myself and practice. I enjoy the feeling of my body moving following the rhythm, bending and twisting creating a pattern that exist only in my mind. It's wonderful.

It's the only moment I feel absolutely free. No competition. No social position. Just Bonnie and the music.

Stop. The song reached its end. Time to catch some breath. Whew. That felt good. Picking the bottle from the ground near the stereo I drink a mouthful of water. Ahh. Great. Just what I needed.

I put the bottle back on the floor and as I stand up again I realize that I'm not alone anymore. There is someone leaning against the wall on the farthest side of the gym at the top of the bleachers. How did this person get on the other side of the gym from the doors without me noticing?

I look at this person. It's standing on the side where the light doesn't reach yet. He's definitely a man judging from his posture. He's wearing an hood that doesn't allow me to see his face from here. He's looking at me. How long as he been there watching. How dared he intrude my personal moment of peace. I'll give this stalker a piece of my mind. And maybe a piece of my knee as well.

I'm about to climb the stairs and do just that when he anticipate me and walks down in my direction. Step by step he walks under the light and I finally see his face.

Shit.

I feel like time has frozen but it has not. I did. The formerly warm air is now a chilly breeze.

Fuck. He doesn't even seem the same person. If I didn't hear the news I would think he's a ghost. His current appearance surely would not help me think otherwise. Empty sleeve and eyepatch. Pale skin.

I'm actually scared. There is a coldness in his only remaining eye that wasn't there before. Why is he here? Why was he staring at me? What does he want?

Up until a month ago I would have thought that he could never hurt someone except in defense of Kim. Now I'm not so sure. I have this small fear deep down that he's here to pay me back for all the insults and mockery I've put him through over the years. And if that's the case I'm fucked. I saw what he can do. If he wants me dead I'm dead already.

"That was awesome Bonnie. I didn't mean to interrupt. Please don't stop on my account." His voice is warm and doesn't hold a drop of that coldness. Suddenly it's like the previous moment was just a dream. This sudden change of atmosphere takes me by surprise and my mouth speaks before I have time to think. Old ways kick in and the first thing I say is not exactly polite.

"Just like a cockroach. You don't die even when they kill you." Shit. Wrong thing to say. I'm sooo fucked now. But his roaring laughter proves me wrong.

All right. Things are definitely freaky. Which is the norm when this guy's around.

"Ah ah ah! That was a good one. Thanks Bon-Bon."

"That… wasn't exactly a compliment, Lo.. Ron." He noticed my slip-of-the tongue but apparently he doesn't care.

"Oh, I know. Even I am not that thick. Still it was fun. It's good to see that some things doesn't change."

"Like you did?" he smirks.

"No, Bonnie. Like the world did. Would you believe it? I had to sneak up here at school two hours early to avoid the reporters? Me? Mr. Nobody? The world is fucked up. Trust me on that." Uh. All right. I was definitely in a funk. Snap out of it. This is Ron Stoppable you are talking to.

Social outcast.

Middleton Mad Dog.

A good guy that's better not piss off.

And he is not the kind of person to lash out at somebody just for some childish revenge. Right?

"You ok, Bonnie?"

"Oh. Uh Yeah. I'm all right. I… I just…"

"Relax Bon-Bon. I'm not going to bite all of a sudden. I withstood your insults for years. I'm not going to act different now. I can take a joke. Now even better than before." He dismiss my worries with a wave of his hand. Ok. I definitely did not expect the grown up attitude.

"Ok. Just let me get an hold on reality, will you?" He nods not without some amusement. "Up until two days ago we all believed you died after fighting a valiant battle right here in this gym. Now you show up with an arm and an eye missing and a grown up attitude to make up for it. You are not here to exact your revenge on those who mocked you for years. Did I get the gist of the situation?"

"You are spot on, Bonnie."

"Ok then. How long have you been here?"

"Just for the past three songs." That's almost fifteen minutes. How did I miss him? "That was amazing, by the way. You never showed that stuff before. It was beautiful."

"Yeah well... That's not something I want to share. It's my..." How do you say it?

"I see. It's your refuge right? Your little shelter away from the world where no one can touch you.." Oh. I can't believe he got it by himself. He's smarter than I thought. Or maybe...

"You seem to be awfully receptive on this topic. Do you have your own hidey-hole as well?" He looks at me quirking an eyebrow like he's asking what game I'm playing at.

"Of all people, Bonnie, I thought that you knew about it already."

"H- How would I know about it? It's not like I ever really cared about what you did." He shake his head.

"Oh, I know. But it was right there for everyone to see." Ah. I understand now.

"Hmm.. Kim, right?"

"Yup." There is something in this answer. A deep emotional scar. Ah, of course. When she pushed him back that night... It wasn't just an argument between friends. It was like being kicked out by your family. Disowned by your own parents. Betrayed by your lover. It didn't have to be a mutual feeling to hurt. For me it would be like if someone broke my legs. Without dancing I would go insane.

"It was your own fault, you know it right?" Ops. That kinda slipped out of my mouth.

"Yes I know. Both because I used to depend on her too much and because I didn't back up the trust she gave me. In the end it was unavoidable."

"... All right. Who are you and what have you done to Ron Stoppable?" He laughs.

"Whatever do you mean Bonnie?"

"That's not the answer that you would.. Oh. You REALLY grew up. Miracles do happen, after all." Another laugh.

"Let's see. Bitchy attitude: check. No problem to speak her mind: check. Hot form head to toe: check. You are Bonnie Rockwaller without a doubt."

BITCHY?

HOT? Ah well this is true.

"You sure grew a pair to talk to me like that. No one else dares. I would make their life a living hell."

"Really? Isn't that what you usually do anyway?" He does have a point.

"Smartass. Don't you think that just because your popularity increased you suddenly aren't a loser anymore."

"No worries Bon-Bon. It didn't cross my mind. As a matter of fact I would totally love to be put aside and be forgotten. You should know more than anybody else that popularity comes with great effort and requires a lot of maintenance. I'm just too lazy to keep up with it."

"Yes. Well some people just aren't cut for it."

Only now I notice that I'm having an actually pleasant conversation. It's odd how of all people this guy is the one who make me feel more at ease. Perhaps it's because he likes so much is standing in the food chain that he doesn't wish to prove himself anymore at my expenses. That's the drawback of being at the top. All those who wish to elevate themselves have no other option but to drag you down. It's a constant battle. But as it stands I don't have to fear from him. It's a good feeling that only Tara made me feel before.

Tara. Damn it. Those words you said really hurt. And I deserved them all.

"Bonnie? You are spacing out a lot. Are you ok?"

"Oh. I was just thinking a little. Err.. Look Ron. I really should go and take a shower now. Lessons are about to begin. So if you don't mind…"

"Oh sure. Don't worry. Hey If it's okay I'll wait for you? " Uh. That's awfully nice.

I'm divided. On a side I don't want to give him too much confidence. I don't want to jeopardize my social standing if he screws up while he's with me. On the other side Tara…. Oh damn it. She's worth the risk.

"Ok… I'll be back in a minute. … Peek and I'll kill you!" I add it as a warning but he just shakes his head in disbelief as if to ask 'Who would ever peek at you'. Jerk.

No longer than fifteen minutes later (a surprisingly short time for a girl) I'm outside again and he's not there. In fact he is surprised to see me waiting for him as he comes back inside. Wasn't he supposed to wait for me?

"You've got some nerve, you know? What's the big idea of… Oh." From his pocket he takes out two can of ice coffee and gives one to me.

"Not my fault if you took so little time to shower. Here I thought you might want something to drink." I did not expect him to be this nice. Was he always like this?

"Ah. Yeah. Thanks. This is actually my favorite drink.." I open the can and take a sip. Taste good.

"I know." Eh?

"You know? How?" he smirks.

"Differently from you Bonnie, I take interest in what you do."

"W-what do you mean by that? What do you do? Do you spy me? What are you, a stalker?"

"Bonnie. Who's the guy the cheer squad used as delivery boy after practice? One would think that by now even I should know who drinks what, don't you agree?" Got me there. I punch him on the shoulder.

"You think you are smart, don't you?"

"Smart enough to know you are a caffeine junkie. Come on. Lessons are about to begin and I have this feeling that reaching the classroom isn't going to be a walk in the park."

We walk out of the gym in a comfortable silence we are about to reach the doors that lead to the corridor when I stop him with an hand on his forearm. He turns to look at me with a quizzical expression.

"What?"

"Uh.. Just…. Welcome back Ron. And thanks for what you did that night." There, I said it. I owe him at least that much. He smiles one of those lopsided smirk of his. Softness and reassurance. There is something about Ron Stoppable that I never cared to notice before. It's the fact that no matter what, he will do his best to make you feel at ease. What a strange thing.

"It's good to be back Bonnie. And you are quite welcome. Let's go."

We pass the door together and the world behind it freezes as soon as we do. Chattering students and teachers turn to look at us and the noise is cut in a fraction of second. The crowd split apart to let us pass. No one dares to breath or speak a sentence. It's pretty much the same reaction I had when I saw him before.

He walks straight without acknowledging anybody, like they didn't matter at all. How does he do it? How can he ignore the stares? Not even I could withstand this much without flinching. Fear, respect, hate. There is a whole range of emotion spanning on the eyes of our schoolmates.

Strength. That's what this is. He doesn't deny himself despite the world wants to swallow him whole. Tara was right. I never saw. Never really looked. Too taken by my own standard to spare him a second glance. Is this what we all failed to understand all these years? I should have known since that day at camp Wannaweep. There is more to Ron Stoppable than meets the eye. And now we all know. We can't deny him anymore.

That's not necessarily a good thing, though. I know something about it. Standing in the center of the attention is like being in the Coliseum surrounded by the lions. I can wait to see how you are going to handle this, Ronald. Maybe I will learn something from you as well, just like Tara did. And hopefully it will be enough to rebuild the bridge between me and her. I can only hope.

Author Note

Whoops. I lied. I put another interlude before returning to Ron POV. I believed that the effect of his comeback would be better explained by one of the other characters, and so I picked Bonnie to do the job.

Next chapter will be back to Ron.

See ya.

PS: I would have updated sooner but this site had some problem today, so I'm here about a day later. Sorry about that.


	38. Monday

**Chapter 23 – Monday**

* * *

Monday morning.

Never a good day in my book, but today is special. Today I make my return among the living. Today I walk the halls of Middleton High again. As I said, it's not a good day.

Strangely I feel very rested. I suppose I have to thanks Shego for this. Her words really helped me tonight.

Shego. I can't help but think that something very important happened between us. I don't know what or why, but it happened. I'm very curious about it but I'm aware that pushing the matter with her isn't a good idea. I don't want her to hide back in her shelter.

I make my way to the bathroom and wash before heading to the kitchen and have breakfast ready. On the way there I pass in front of her room and knock softly on the door.

"Shego? Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes." A muffled grunt of approval is her answer. Strange, she didn't strike me as a person who as problems to wake up.

Like promised fifteen minutes later the breakfast is on the table, just in time for Shego to arrive in the kitchen. Well? Would you look at that? Fuzzy hairs, barely opened eyes and a sleepy expression.

"Rise and Shine, Sleepyhead."

"Hmrrf. 'Morning." She sit on her chair with her elbow on the table in an attempt to support her head. Wow. She's really messed up.

"Coffee?"

"Yes, please." I pour her a steaming cup of the black elixir that she savors slowly.

"Are you ok, Shego? Did you sleep well? I'm sorry for waking you up last night."

"Hmm? Oh no, I slept well enough, thank you. As a matter of fact I slept too much. That's why I'm in a funk. Don't worry about it. "

"Ok then. Hey today I'm going to school and I won't be back until late afternoon. Is there something you need? I'll drop by Smarty Mart and buy some stuff anyway."

"Really? That's great, thanks. Let me make a list of things I need."

Ten minutes later I'm already regretting my words. The long list she gives me is mostly about womanly stuff. Ugh. How am I supposed to buy those things? I'll ask Kim to help me. Yeah that's a good idea. She definitely knows about some of this things better than I do.

"Everything ok?"

"Ah? Oh, yes. Yes. Everything's cool."

"You… don't have to do it if you don't feel like it. I know that's difficult for a guy to.."

"Nah. It's cool. Really. Come on. I've faced worst than this. The Ron-Man is up for the job."

"Hmpf. Thanks, Ron-Man."

"You are welcome. Well It's about time I go."

"This early? I mean, isn't school supposed to start a lot later?"

"Yes it is. But it's better if I'm already there if I want to avoid the storm of reporters. It's probably my last chance to walk to school undisturbed. Do you have any idea of the shitstorm I'm going to face from now on?" She taps her chin with a finger.

"I can only imagine. It's a good idea, Ron. It's Kimmie coming with you?" I shake my head.

"Nah. She said that she isn't going to hide. She too prideful to sneak around like a thief. I asked her if she needed me to be there but she said that she has to do it by herself so.." She nods.

"That's Princess for ya. … The two of you patched things rather well despite our…"

"Yeah. I can't say that things aren't awkweird sometimes between us, but hey, we kinda needed some break from each other and we might as well get the best out of the situation." She looks at me oddly.

"Have you always been this mature? I mean, it's rather odd coming from you. You never seemed one to handle this stuff like an adult and… Sorry. In my mind you still are the usual Buffoon. It might take a while for me to get used to this new… you."

"You and me both, Shego. Don't sweat it. Well then. I really have to go."

"… Ok. Careful out there."

"I will. See ya later, Shego" I slam the backpack on my shoulder and leave the house from my safe route in the back garden. Just like yesterday morning the streets are empty and the trip is uneventful.

Ok. Even if I'm not particularly fond of my school, going back to the usual routine is somewhat reassuring. The halls of Middleton High are filled known threats. Better than the outside world for sure. I walk inside the building and walk the empty corridors. It's peaceful at this hour. Too bad it's not going to last.

Without a real purpose I take a stroll trying to find a way to kill some time until the lessons begin. Suddenly I hear in the distance the an upbeat music. It's not far. Is it coming from the gym? How could be there this early? With nothing better to do but to satisfy my curiosity I make my way there.

Not knowing what I'm going to find behind those doors I try to slip by unnoticed. And the better way to do it is using the Art. It takes a whole minute before I manage to reach the deepest stage I can with my current skill. When I open my eyes the color around me are a little duller and even the music seem to come from behind a thick wall. I guess it worked to a degree. I push the door open enough for me to slip inside.

Just like the book said I use the surrounding to my advantage in order to hide better. Making sure to stay hidden in the shadow I watch as one of the most beautiful things I ever witnessed plays in front of me.

Brown hairs, tanned glistening skin, long shaped legs. Right here, right now, Bonnie Rockwaller has nothing to share with the mean person I used to know. In my eyes she the closest thing to God that ever walked this earth. Grace. Passion. Beauty. Pure, unadulterated beauty. Why? Why doesn't she show THIS to the world? Doesn't she realize that she has never shined more than this? Why does she hide this light of hers behind her snarky personality?

I'm so taken by this vision that I don't notice the passing of time until the last song ends. Holy shit! My heart is thumping in my throat. My mouth is dry. And I can't remove my eye from her figure. Ah, she noticed me. All right, Stoppable. Snap out of it.

I walk down to where she's standing. Our eyes are locked together and I can tell that she's scared. It's understandable. I'm the closest thing to a real life Zombie she has probably ever seen.

"That was awesome Bonnie. I didn't mean to interrupt. Please don't stop on my account" Yeah. I'd definitely like to see more of that.

"Just like a cockroach. You don't die even when they kill you." Did she really said that? Ah. To think that I was awed by her just a second ago. It refreshing to hear her usual self, though.

"Ah ah ah! That was a good one. Thanks Bon-Bon."

"That… wasn't exactly a compliment, Lo.. Ron."

"Oh, I know. Even I am not that thick. Still it was fun. It's good to see that some things doesn't change."

"Like you did?"

"No, Bonnie. Like the world did. Would you believe it? I had to sneak up here at school two hours early to avoid the reporters? Me? Mr. Nobody? The world is fucked up. Trust me on that." She looks at me like she doesn't really see me. What is she thinking about? Oh, is she scared of me?

"You ok, Bonnie?"

"Oh. Uh Yeah. I'm all right. I… I just…"

"Relax Bon-Bon. I'm not going to bite all of a sudden. I withstood your insults for years. I'm not going to act different now. I can take a joke. Now even better than before." He dismiss my worries with a wave of his hand. Ok. I definitely did not expect the grown up attitude.

"Ok. Just let me get an hold on reality, will you? Up until two days ago we all believed you died after fighting a valiant battle right here in this gym. Now you show up with an arm and an eye missing and a grown up attitude to make up for it. You are not here to exact your revenge on those who mocked you for years. Did I get the gist of the situation?"

"You are spot on, Bonnie."

"Ok then. How long have you been here?" Ah yes. How long was that? I kinda lost my sense of time watching her.

"Just for the past three songs. That was amazing, by the way. You never showed that stuff before. It was beautiful."

"Yeah well... That's not something I want to share. It's my..."

"I see. It's your refuge right? Your little shelter away from the world where no one can touch you.."

"You seem to be awfully receptive on this topic. Do you have your own hidey-hole as well?" What? How come she doesn't know?

"Of all people, Bonnie, I thought that you knew about it already."

"H- How would I know about it? It's not like I ever really cared about what you did." He shake his head.

"Oh, I know. But it was right there for everyone to see."

"Hmm.. Kim, right?"

"Yup."

"It was your own fault, you know it right?" Cruel bitch. But she is right.

"Yes I know. Both because I used to depend on her too much and because I didn't back up the trust she gave me. In the end it was unavoidable."

"... All right. Who are you and what have you done to Ron Stoppable?" I can't help but laugh.

"Whatever do you mean Bonnie?"

"That's not the answer that you would.. Oh. You REALLY did grow up. Miracles do happen, after all." I can stop laughing. She's fun. I don't understand how I couldn't find her insults funny before. Lack of confidence perhaps.

"Let's see. Bitchy attitude: check. No problem to speak her mind: check. Hot form head to toe: check. You are Bonnie Rockwaller without a doubt."

"You sure grew a pair to talk to me like that. No one else dares. I would make their life a living hell."

"Really? Isn't that what you usually do anyway?"

"Smartass. Don't you think that just because your popularity increased you suddenly aren't a loser anymore."

"No worries Bon-Bon. It didn't cross my mind. As a matter of fact I would totally love to be put aside and be forgotten. You should know more than anybody else that popularity comes with great effort and requires a lot of maintenance. I'm just too lazy to keep up with it."

"Yes. Well some people just aren't cut for it." There. Is she spacing out again? What's on her mind?

"Bonnie? You are spacing out a lot. Are you ok?"

"Oh. I was just thinking a little. Err.. Look Ron. I really should go and take a shower now. Lessons are about to begin. So if you don't mind…"

"Oh sure. Don't worry. Hey, If it's okay I'll wait for you? " I'm feeling really good with her right now. Strangely enough she agrees.

"Ok… I'll be back in a minute. … Peek and I'll kill you!" Yeah, right. As if I'm fool enough to peek on you of all people. No! That came out wrong. I meant to say that I would never peek on a girl having a shower. Right. That's what I meant.

Well. I still have to kill some time and Bonnie is going to be busy for a while in there. A minute my ass. Girls take forever to get ready. I wait for a while and then I make my way to the vending machine right outside the gym. I buy two cans of Ice Coffee. Her favorite drink. When I get back she's already out. Whoa. That was fast.

"You've got some nerve, you know? What's the big idea of… Oh." I pass her one of the cans.

"Not my fault if you took so little time to shower. Here I thought you might want something to drink."

"Ah. Yeah. Thanks. This is actually my favorite drink.." Hmm. I like the way those soft lips kiss the hem of the can to drink.

"I know."

"You know? How?"

"Differently from you Bonnie, I take interest in what you do."

"W-what do you mean by that? What do you do? Do you spy me? What are you, a stalker?"

"Bonnie. Who's the guy the cheer squad used as delivery boy after practice? One would think that by now even I should know who drinks what, don't you agree?" She punches me on the shoulder.

"You think you are smart, don't you?"

"Smart enough to know you are a caffeine junkie. Come on. Lessons are about to begin and I have this feeling that reaching the classroom isn't going to be a walk in the park." We walk toward the school until she suddenly stops me with her hand on my arm.

"What?"

"Uh.. Just…. Welcome back Ron. And thanks for what you did that night." That was unexpected but very nice to hear.

"It's good to be back Bonnie. And you are quite welcome. Let's go."

I push the door open and the in a few seconds the noise dies like a tidal wave of silence has struck the presents. The crowd part like the Red Sea in front of Moses and I walk in between without paying them any attention. Before they were too busy to notice me and now they are too scared to even try to know me. Well it's their loss, not mine. Of course among them there is always an exception. Well maybe two.

Felix 'Steel Wheels' Renton and Monique are making their way toward me uncaring of the stares. That's the mark of a true friend.

"Ron Man." He greets me with a nod. Despite the extent of my wounds and his obvious concern he knows me enough to understand that If I need to talk about it I will do so. Monique knows me a little less and she express her concern with a friendly hug.

"Ron. I'm so glad. When I heard the news I… Thank God you are alive." I pat her shoulder trying to bring some comfort.

"Thanks. It's good to be back. I was surprised that you weren't at the Prom that night. Something happened?" She breaks her embrace to look at me.

"I wasn't exactly in the mood to have fun, so I left a little earlier. My date turned out to be a jerk with more hands than an octopus. When I heard what happened between you and Kim I wanted to talk some sense into her but then those Diablos…"

"Hey, It's okay. Don't worry about it. It's all right."

"You don't look fine, though."

"I know but it's no use to cry over spit milk, right?" She is a little surprised by my dismissing behavior.

"Oh I guess, so. Hey if you need to talk I'm here for you, ok?"

"Thanks Mo. It means a lot." Then she realize that Bonnie is here with us. "Uhm.. Ron… You know that Bonnie..?"

"Yeah I know. I invited her to join me." The two girls look at each other with a challenging stare. If there is a girl here who can face Bonnie without fear besides Kim that's Monique.

"Bonnie."

"Monique."

There is definitely no friendship between the two but I know that Bonnie respects Monique for her taste in fashion and her role as Queen of Gossip. They are basically on the same level in different social circles. They don't need to rip each other throats, but I know that with her tone Monique is warning Bonnie not to mess with me. Girls are scary. Felix take his chances to break the tension.

"Err.. Guys. We really should go. If we are any late Mr. B is going to give us detention for the rest of the term. We better hurry." He does have a point. I don't want to get on Mr. B bad side on the very first day back. I have enough problem as it is.

We make our way to the classroom ignoring the whispers and the stares that are headed our way, well my way mostly. Just like predicted Mr. B is standing near the door looking at his watch, counting the seconds before he can harass anyone fool enough to be late to one of his lectures. While my group slides inside the classroom I stand back to meet the veteran soldier. Noticing my presence he raises his stare from the watch to meet my gaze. The old soldier takes in my appearance without flinching. I guess he has seen worse.

"Stoppable."

"Mr. Barkin."

"So you are back. Do I have to expect troubles from you?" I shrug.

"Nothing outside the ordinary Mr. B. The usual stuff."

"I see. Well, your new celebrity status isn't going to make any difference inside this school. Step out of the line and there will consequences. Are we clear, Stoppable?"

"Crystal clear, Mr. B!" I snap to attention with my right hand in the common salute position. He nods.

"Very good. I'll be watching you, Stoppable. Very closely." I grin.

"Wouldn't want it any other way, Sir."

"Get inside before you are late, Stoppable. You don't want detention on the first day back, do you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sir."

"Good. Now move." I step inside and as soon as I'm besides him a powerful slap on my back pushes me forward. I turn to look at him but he is already addressing another student. Good old Mr. B. I guess that for him the best way to show appreciation is to push you beyond your limits. Until a month ago I couldn't understand it. Now I can even appreciate it. Without further ado I reach my friends and I see that Kim is already here, chatting quietly with Monique. She notice me and she gives me a small wave of her hand that I reply in kind. This send a new wave of whispers among the other students.

"Mind you own damn business!" I speak to no one in particular and therefore to everyone. I talk loudly but in a tone similar to a growl. It's not a request. It's a fucking order. I can take the shit directed at me but if you mess with my friends you are going to regret it. They shut up so fast that I heard a few jaw click. Good. I take my seat and no one dares to breath. That felt good.

The bell rings and Barkin steps inside.

"All right people, LISTEN UP!" It's good to be back.

Of course under the watchful stare of our teacher no one dares step out of the line. The lesson is uneventful and boring. God, who would have thought that I could enjoy boredom? Despite this I follow the lessons without losing a beat. Since I've unlocked The Jester it's easier for me to focus and to grasp complex concept that were too difficult to understand until yesterday. Math still sucks a little but other topics flows inside me with unexpected ease. It comes to help the fact that while I was in the hospital Emily helped me with a few subjects that I was having troubles with. I'm no way close to be an honor student but I can hold myself inside a classroom now. Mr. B. seems surprised that I managed to answer the few questions he asked me. I try not to brag about my new skills so I don't answer any question that's not directed at me. Luckily enough, another thing that I never saw coming, our lessons are all with Mr. B. today. This keeps even the most daring gossiper and the general idiots at bay long enough to have a normal school day. Of course this is all going to end as soon as lessons are over. Lunch time is going to be hell.

* * *

As soon as I step into the cafeteria everyone shuts up only to resume talking a moment later, obliviously about me and Kim. We decide to ignore them.

"So Ron how exactly did you and Bonnie ended up coming to class together?" Do I feel an hint of jealousy Kim? I don't leave a chance for Bonnie to speak before I do.

"Oh. I just met her in the gym. I was strolling around trying to kill some time since I got here too early." There it goes, vague enough and without lying. I'm not good at that.

"Ah. And what was she doing there?" You couldn't just drop the subject, could you? This time it's Bonnie turn to answer.

"I don't see how this is any of your business, K. What I do with my time is my own business. But if you really want to know I was training. Not everyone can do everything just because they are named Possible." Voilà, Bonnie is perfectly capable to take care of her own secrets. No need to worry about that.

"Yeah? Well it's not my fault if you aren't good enough to keep up with me. What I don't understand is why you are still with us."

"Because K, we all had the same lesson and we are both headed to the cafeteria. What's so difficult to understand?"

"You know what I mean!" Bonnie smirks. Something evil this way comes.

"Yeah? So what if I want to spend some time with my friend Ron? What are you, jelling?"

"Wha..? Your friend? Since when? Oh right, since he became all popular, isn't it? If you think that I'm going to let Ron fall for your tricks you've got another thing coming."

"Kim?" I interject before this gets out of hand.

"WHAT?" Ah yes, I forgot. To step between her and the target of her wrath is not a good thing. You might end up becoming the new target.

"I'm perfectly capable of choosing who I want to hang out with. As a matter of fact I asked Bonnie if she wanted to join us for lunch."

"But… But why? I mean… She's Bonnie."

"Yeah I noticed that. You see Kim, I'm trying to start anew, giving everyone another chance. I do this because I've changed, and I'm not going to take any shit from anyone from now on. So whomever wants to be my friend is free to try to do so without any past grudge to come in the middle. It's part of my growing up, ok?"

"B… But…"

"All right. Kim I don't want to be mean but I really want to put this behind me and move on with life. I'm going to make it clear for you. Whomever I chose to associate with is my own business. Can you respect me enough to accept my choices? Good. And you Bonnie, wipe the smugness off your face. I'm not defending you, I'm merely making myself clear." The whole conversation didn't go unnoticed and the whispers intensified. "And just as I said IT'S MY OWN DAMN BUSINESS. IF SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY COME FORWARD AND SAY IT! OTHEWISE SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Silence. Good, I like the quiet. Monique is slaw jacked. Bonnie takes a few steps back and Kim is simply trembling. Shit. I overreacted. The Jester is stirring. No good.

"Hey, Ron. Chill out, ok?" Felix. The handicapped guy has more guts than half the school put together.

"Uh. Right. Sorry about that guys. Come on let's eat." As soon as I start walking Kim reaches me and talk in a whisper.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to act like that. I know that you can make your own choices." I shake my head.

"No. I'm the one who should apologize. I know you are simply looking out for me. Thanks." She smile a soft smile as we queue for lunch. The students nearby are avoiding us, well me most likely, like a plague only to resume the chattering as soon as they are far enough. Spineless hypocrites.

Balancing my tray we make our way to the closest empty table. We are almost there when a voice calls for me.

"Ron!" Tara is heading our way waving her hand at me. Only when she is close she notice the presence of the others. "Ah! Bonnie. Kim." She say the last name with a coldness I didn't know she was capable of.

"Hi Tara." All right, I'm missing something here. Did something happen between the two of them?

"Tara. Good to see you. Would you like to eat with us?" She looks divided. She'd really like to eat with me, but the idea of being with Bonnie and Kim at the same time is not what she wants.

"Ah. Thank Ron, but I'll pass. I have already made arrangements with Crystal and Hope to eat with them. Hey I'll see you at cheer practice. You are coming right?"

"Ah, sure. I'll see you later then."

"Later Ron. Bonnie. I… I need to talk to you after practice, ok?"

"S… Sure, Tara. I'll see you later." And she leaves waving her hand at us, dropping her smile only when she cross eyes with Kim. Well that was awkweird.

We eat lunch quietly. No one dares to approach me while I'm surrounded by my friends. The fact that I might bite their head if they try might also play its part in keeping the idiots away. Of course I know it will last only as long as it takes for them to get used to see me again. Soon, very soon someone will try to start a conversation with me, and for their own safety I hope they won't treat me like they did before.

"So, Ron. How are you coping with only one arm?" Smooth Bonnie. Perhaps this is my chance to lighten the mood a little.

"It's terrible, you know?" I answer with an hurt tone that could rival the effect of the PDP. "I had to buy a single handed controller to play my videogames, and I need to relearn the whole eye-hand coordination. And on top of that the last installment of Zombie Mayhem doesn't even support that controller. I.. I don't know if I can go on like this." That was great. The atmosphere went from tense to depressed only to ultimately explode in laughter. Even someone form the other tables is trying to hold the giggles.

"Snnrk. Ron. There is a patch for that on the official site."

"For real? Oh Felix, you are such a life saver. With this I can make it. Yes! I'm going to make it with the power of Zombie Mayhem." I dry a fake tear from my missing eye.

"You are such an idiot, Ron." The girls speak as one and I think that it's somewhat the first step to patch up the situation. Of course the way is still very long but we can get there one step at time.

* * *

After we went our separate ways to our respective lesson I'm in front of my locker by myself. That's when the idiots decide to make themselves known.

"Hey, Loser." I don't need to turn around and I don't. I know exactly who's speaking. Douglas McCoy. And where Douglas McCoy is you can always find…

"We are talking to you, loser." Frank Portman. Two of the bullies of the Hall D took the time to leave their 'turf' to come and greet me. I'm so touched. And I still don't pay them any attention. I keep rummaging between my backpack and the locker.

I could waste time to describe these guys but I filed them under 'Overgrown hairless monkey'. Hey, Frank might pass for the bastard child on Fiske. Only a tad shorter and with lot less brain. Douglas might be Brick brother when it comes to look and size, but definitely not as smart. Which says a lot about their cognitive capabilities.

"Oy! Loser! Stoppable!" Now that's more like it.

"Hmm? Oh hello, guys. Sorry, I thought you were speaking to each other. How are you doing?"

"Don't act smart with us, midget."

"Yeah. Who the hell do you think you are, uh? Strolling down the school like you own the place. You think that just because you got popular you suddenly are a though guy?"

"Oh. I wouldn't dream of it. So what brings you guys here? Need anything? Did you lost your way to your cages? And who exactly let the monkeys out?"

"What? Are you looking for trouble, Loser? You think that we believe that shit everyone talks about? That you kicked ass during the Prom? I don't know how you pulled it, but once a loser always a loser. You better learn your place again real quick. Or we will be forced to teach it to you." Oh. So that's how it is. Well since there is no visual proof of what happened that night here it's understandable that they might not believe the rumors. Who would believe that I summoned a sword and slaughtered the Synthodrones except the witnesses? I wouldn't. Too bad for them that it's true.

"Ah. So you are going to teach me a lesson, right? You two? I thought that you can't even tell the difference between your assess and your elbows. And YOU want to teach ME a lesson? Ah ah ah. That was a good one, guys. Oh, damn! You were serious. Wait. Let me laugh even louder. AHAHAHAHA!" Oh yes. I went full Jester without even noticing. /Some people simply get the best out of me./

"Let's see how you are going to laugh with your teeth missing." Frank roars his fist back. I give him a free shot. I don't want to get in trouble because I attacked first. Like this it's self-defense and I've got plenty of witnesses . His punch sail right beside my face barely missing me. Of course is a calculated risk. With their skill I don't even need the 'Power of cowardice' to deal with them.

Sadly when I'm the Jester I'm everything but forgiving. His punch stops right before hitting the locker behind me, but his kneecap isn't as lucky. *CRACK* My foot meets his knee forcefully, bending his leg in the wrong direction.

"AAARGH!" He falls on the ground holding his leg with a terror stricken expression on his face.

"You little shit!" Not learning from his friend demise, Douglas attempt the same kind of attack only to meet the very same foot I used before with his jaw. Teeth are sent flying everywhere. The loud THUMP of his head hitting the ground is the only sound in the crowded yet amazingly silent corridor.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" I knew it. Just as soon as he isn't needed anymore Mr. B. shows up. "STOPPABLE! EXPLANATION! NOW!" The he sees the idiots and the floor and their condition. "CHEESE AND CRAKER! QUICK CALL AN AMBULANCE AND THE SCHOOL NURSE." The he turns to watch me again. "Stoppable what were you thinking…." I cut him off.

"Don't blame me, Mr. B. They assaulted me and I simply defended myself. Everyone can testify, right?"

Approving murmurs. A few of the usually abused nerds and geeks are more than willing to take revenge on them by supporting me.

"Don't mess with me, Stoppable. You could have disabled them with a lot less damage." He's right, but it's not like I had to.

"I don't know about that Mr. B. I'm missing an eye and an arm and they were two against one. Plus it require a lot of skills to stop an opponent without hurting them badly. I'm not exactly in the condition to go soft on them." Not that they deserved it anyway. "And besides, I'm the victim here. As a matter of fact I could sue them for assault. Heck, I could even sue the school. Those two idiots have been harassing their underclassmen for years and I don't remember any serious disciplinary action being taken against them. Am I wrong Mr. B?" He stares at me an inch away from my face.

"Are you threatening me, Stoppable?"

"You should know by now that I don't do threats, Mr. B." we stare at each other for a long minute and no one dares to breath. Our contest is stopped without a winner by the arrival of the school nurse.

"Gosh. What happened here? Oh dear. Quick, come this way." The paramedics are already here. Maybe they were in the neighborhood. Maybe they have been alerted beforehand. I smell the handiwork of Betty in this. I'm willing to bet that she kept a unit ready for anything that might have happened while I'm at school. If it's for my safety or for my schoolmates I don't know nor care. It was a good idea after all.

"Fine. Since it's obvious that you are the wronged party I'll let the matter drop. This time."

"I don't think so Mr. B."

"What? Do you want detention?" Yeah, right.

"No, Sir. As I said I've been assaulted by these two guys. I want to know what kind of disciplinary action will be taken against them."

"Do you think you can tell me how to do my job, Stoppable?"

"No, Sir. But the school board might want to do just that. And then they might ask themselves why such disciplinary action haven't been taken before this episode even happened. Of course this is right before asking you about it, Mr. B." It's not an idle threat. It's not a threat at all. It's a cold statement of facts. "If the media were to hear of this, and they will considering how they are hovering over me, they'll start asking questions around. And the answer are going to be unpleasant. But not for me. I'm not threatening you Mr. B. I'm telling you to take a stand before someone else will do it in your place. A storm is coming this way and it will blow away everyone not ready to withstand it." He realizes that I'm telling the truth. Things aren't like before and the thin walls of this school aren't going to be a shelter for anyone as long as I'm here.

"Fine. I will make sure that these troublemakers will receive a proper punishment." He then whisper so that only I can hear. "Stoppable. Fame and Glory are nasty bitches that will turn against you as soon as you let your guard down. Don't think that you can do as you please in this school."

"The same goes for you Barkin. I'm telling you this as friend. Watch where you step from now on when you are around me. I'm a target now and anyone close enough is liable to be one as well." He nods and then storms in the direction he came from.

Barkin is neither my ally nor my enemy. He's the guardian of this school and of his student. He will stand with me or against me depending from my actions. I need to keep this in mind if I want to survive this last month of school.

Well just as predicted today wasn't boring at all. Ah well. What's done is done. Now, Cheerleader practice. Let's go meet the babes.

* * *

Author Note:

Whoa! That was long. The first part of this day is over.

Let me know what you think about it.

See ya.


	39. Interlude Red Team

**Interlude Red – Team**

* * *

"He did what?" I can't believe what Crystal is telling me. Ron?

"I swear it, Kim. After he laughed in their faces they assaulted him and he turned them into mincemeat. I don't think Frank will ever walk properly again. Then he confronted Barkin in a staring contest and the old man backed off." I don't know what to think about this? Ron hurting two other guys just like that?

"I… I can't even imagine…"

"Well I do. Your FORMER friend is totally nuts. I mean ok, those thugs went a little overboard, but to break his knee? And he did it like he didn't even care about it. Scratch that. He looked like he was having fun. They should just throw him into an asylum of some sort away from the normal people. What if he snap on us and goes all Mumbo Jumbo like he did at the Prom?"

"Crystal! How can you say something like that? He would never hurt us." Tara is voicing my thoughts exactly. Our little confrontation is put aside when it concern Ron well being. Not that she has forgiven me in any measure. I wouldn't in her place.

"Yeah? Easy to say for you. You are his little pet after all. Perhaps he won't hurt you if you behave nicely enough and sit on command but…"

"I AM WHAT?" In a split second Tara switched from 'let's discuss things quietly' to ' I'll rip your head off '.

"Oh, come on. You just had to confess your undying love for him that night and it would be the perfect picture. Oh Ronnie. You are so great, Ronnie. Please save me, Ronnie. Can I be your girlfriend, Ronnie? AH! If you want to be with that psycho go ahead, but I don't have any intention to be where he is." Then she turns to look at me again leaving Tara in a shocked and embarrassed state. "I've told you Kim. It's either me or him in this squad. You are the captain. You make the choice. It's time to decide what's important and what's not. He already dragged you down enough with his stunt last month. Let us not speak of how the media pictured the school and us like we were constantly bullying or harassing him. Do you know that I can't even find a date outside Middleton High anymore? People are almost insulting me when they learn I'm on the same team with him. And that goes for all of us. Right girls?" A few uncertain nods. Most girls agree but they don't seem to like the way Crystal is depicting Ron. Thank goodness.

"Crystal you are exaggerating. Ron is in no way responsible for how the media turned on the school ok? And besides can you blame them? Maybe they went a little too far with their speculation but…."

"A little too far, Kim? They even said that you were pregnant with his child. They said you had an abortion. How deep are you going to let him drag you?" Good question. And no longer than a month ago I might have been a little uncertain on the answer. No more.

"How deep, Crystal? How deep? Down to Hell and back if I have to." She didn't expect this answer. "And as a matter of fact, if I have to choose between you or him on this team I'll pick him ten times out of ten. And before you ask it's not because he's STILL IS my friend or because I feel guilty. It's because despite all his faults he showed more teamwork and will to improve than all of us put together. This regardless of the continuous attempts of his teammates to mock him, belittle him and push him out. He dragged us to victory in more than one competition and he supported and encouraged us every time we failed. So yeah, Crystal. I've made my choice. You know the way out. Objections?" My question is for all the team and no one dares to backup Crystal. They can't hide from their guilt anymore. Surprisingly Bonnie is affected by my speech more than the others.

"You… how dare…" Crystal is about to explode.

"Oh! A catfight. My favorite show. Now, where did I put the popcorns?" he couldn't scare us more if he jumped out from an hole in the ground. Ron is sitting on the bleachers drinking a Soda with a relaxed expression like he's watching TV instead of listening to the people who wants him out of the team. "Over already? Awww. That's too bad." He throw the can in a nearby bin and walks down to us. The girls are scared and ashamed, but Crystal is almost pissing herself. She can't remove her eyes from Ron. She is rooted on the spot by fear.

"Ah…Uh… Ron! How long have you been….?" Her voice is a couple of octave higher than normal.

"Long enough to hear the important stuff, Crystal." He is now standing an inch from her. "Don't worry though, your place on the team isn't at risk. I'm quitting." WHAT? NO!

"Ron! You don't have to. We can work this out." I don't want him to give up because of them.

"Hmm? Oh no. You are mistaken, Kim. I'm most certainly not quitting because of them." He says so pointing his thumb to the girls behind his shoulder. "If I cared about what they thought of me I would never have joined the team in the first place." A statement that is another slap for the girls.

"Why then?"

"Because Crystal is right, Kim."

"W..What?" Now everyone is shocked into silence. "What do you mean?"

"As much as I like to stay in the Cheer Squad I'm not like you Kim, I can't do all those things and do them well. Right now I'm too busy with my work at GJ and rehabilitation. Let us ignore how an handicapped guy can possibly take part in all those acrobatics. I still have too much on my plate to work with you girls. I need to set priorities and sadly this team doesn't rank that high in my list. It will drag you down and I can't allow it. Add to all that the fact that I was never really welcome here. I'd say that there is really no reason to hang around anymore, isn't it.?"

How can I counter his motivations? I simply cannot. He made his choices and he's determined to see things done. I can't convince him to stay. Nor I have the right to do so.

"I see, Ron. You have given this a lot of thought, haven't you? Then there is nothing more to say." But Tara has something to tell.

"I… For what is worth Ron I'm sorry that you didn't feel part of the team. I… I hope that can forgive us for the way we treated you." He smiles sweetly at her and I can't avoid feeling jealous. I don't want him to smile like that to anybody else. God, I'm so selfish.

"Thanks Tara. And don't worry about Crystal words. She doesn't know a thing about you. She is too taken by herself to pay attention to anybody else."

"What? Are you insinuating that I'm selfish? You loser! How dare….you…? *HICK*" Turning his head just enough to stare sideways at Crystal, Ron cold stare froze her. If a look could kill she would be limp on the floor. Instead her eyes are tearing and she's trembling like a leaf. "Ah…. No….I'm sorry… Don't…." Bur he doesn't move nor answer her. Instead he just turn around to talk to Tara again, his coldness long forgotten.

"Whatever. You can still count on me if you need to train the new mascot. Feel free to ask." Then he turns to face all the team. "Ladies, it was fun until it lasted. I really enjoyed your company, even if I can tell it wasn't a mutual feeling. I wish you the best of luck. I'll be cheering for you. See ya." And without sparing another glance he walks away.

I don't notice that I'm following him until I stop by him grabbing his shoulder.

"Hmm? What's wrong Kim? Tara?"

Tara? Oh. She's right beside me. And she talks before I have a chance to.

"Ron… You know that this doesn't change the way I think of you, right? I won't let their opinion influence my choices" Eh? What does she mean? Is she referring to me? This…. Bimbo!

"I know Tara. Don't worry about it. I know you aren't like that." Hey. Hey! I'm here as well. Don't lose yourselves in your own world leaving me back here.

"The same goes for me, Ron. I won't let that happen."

"Again, you mean?" The Bimbo twist the knife in the wound.

"At least I stood by him for twelve years. What do you have to show beside your outburst at the Prom?" Does she think she have a better chance with him than I do?

"At least I've been honest with my feelings and I've kissed him without being under the effect of some strange gizmo." This revelation is accompanied with a startled 'Eeep' coming from all the girls and a muttered 'I knew it' from Crystal. "And he promised me that we would date once this mess is all over."

"HE DID WHAT?" My head snaps in his direction only to find empty space where he was standing. The double doors of the gym are still swinging. He's fast. He should try out for the Football team. "Ron! Come back here!" I disregard Tara smug expression to chase my target. Damn he really is fast. No wonder henchmen can't keep up with him. I pursue him through all the football field until we reach a storage room placed under the bleachers. Why the hell did he get in there?

"Ron…?" I peek inside but it's too dark to see. Does he really think that he can hide in this little space and not be found? Suddenly the door behind me is slammed close and the room falls into darkness. Did he close me inside? Damn it. "Ron! Come on! Don't… Hmpff …hmm?" Suddenly I'm enveloped in a familiar hug and my ability to speak is stolen by a pair of soft lips. Ron's lips. "hmm…mmm.." The world melts. My previous rage is wiped away by this feeling. My skin is burning but I'm shivering in delight. It doesn't last long enough, though. I never knew that being kissed by Ron could feel this…this…I thought it was all because of the Moodulator.

"Better now?" his voice snap me back to reality.

"Ah?" My lips are still longing for his touch. "Uh." Come on, brain. Reboot.

"Kim? I'm starting to worry. Maybe kissing you wasn't a good idea."

"No! I mean yes!"

"It wasn't a good idea? Crap!"

"No. It was great. Awesome. Spankin'. … And….And I should really just shut up now. Don't laugh at me. What is this all about?"

"Nothing. I just thought that you felt… I don't know… left out? I know how competitive you are and I bet that Tara little confession left you with a bitter feeling. I don't know. I just acted and it was stupid. Sorry about that."

"No. Don't apologize. I shouldn't have run after you like that. It's not like you owe me an explanation. We talked it over, right? We shouldn't date each other. I… I …"

"It felt good."

"W..What?"

"Kissing you. It felt good. Great, actually. I wanted to do that for a long time." I'm glad we are in the darkness, so he can't see me blush."And it also felt wrong." Eh? No. Why?

"Why?"

"Because I know that you wouldn't turn me down right now even if you wanted to. Am I wrong Kim? Do you think you could push me back if you didn't want to do kiss me? Or you would simply give in because of what happened?"

"I.. I.. don't know. Argh! This is so frustrating. Why can't things be simpler?"

"No idea. But you have your answer now. You know why I can't date you. We would keep asking ourselves how much of it is guilt or pent up desire."

"I understand. I… Do you think that we could ever be more than friends in the long run?"

"We already are more than friends, Kim. You are my partner, my sister, my confident, the person I can call in the middle of the night if I have something on my mind and I can't sleep. Can we be even more? No clue. Do I want to? I'm not sure. Do you want to?"

"I… I don't know. It's all so confusing but… I'm glad that I can talk about this so freely. You are right, we are more than friends already. …. Hey Ron. If you are going to data Tara… Can I least jell a little?"

"Eh. I guess you can. But only if I can do the same if you date someone."

"Deal. Thanks Ron."

"What for?"

"For being you."

"It comes natural. I am what I is."

"*CHUCKLE* Yes you are. Come on. Let's go back."

"All right…" He releases me from his embrace and open the door again. We walk back to the gym in a comfortable silence.

"Ron… There is something else I wanted to talk you about."

"What is it?"

"First, I'm grateful that you try to defend me from the gossip, but you don't have to. I'm strong enough to deal with it myself."

"I know you don't need it Kim. I didn't do it for you. I did it for myself. Far too long I kept hiding in silence when there were things I had to do or to say. No more. I understand that I might have overreacted but I'm still learning how to deal with this new me. Forgive me If I'm going to make mistakes from time to time."

"It's ok. We all make mistakes. And speaking of overreacting, what is this rumor that you broke Frank knee and shattered Douglas jaw?"

"You mean that you knew about it already? It happened no longer than ten minutes before I got in the gym. Man, the gossip mill is faster than any social network."

"YOU MEAN IT'S TRUE? Ron? What's gotten into you?" I can't believe this.

"Hey. Not my fault. They attacked me first."

"But… Certainly you could have dealt with them with going to such lengths."

"Of course, but it's better like this."

"WHAT? How could this be better? Ron you might have permanently damaged Frank ability to walk."

"I'm aware but I don't care. People like them are always trying to hurt those they think weaker than them. From now on they will think twice before harassing someone else." Wha..? Is this Ron I'm talking to? Sweet, caring and harmless Ron?

"But… But…. You can't just act like some kind of avenger and hurt others."

"And I don't plan to, but those wish to hurt me or those I care for will find out that there is an high price to pay for it. And besides I made an example out of them. The whole thug community will not try again to pick on me or those who associate with me."

"But… The media are going to have a field day about this. Many of them already pictured you as unstable."

"Let them. That's what I want. For what I'm planning with GJ I need to establish my position as someone you don't want to mess with. We are pushing some serious changes here, Kim. I can't allow myself to be harassed by bullies and then expect to be taken seriously in the big game. I made something very clear for everyone today: 'don't fuck with Ron Stoppable'. Let the media know. Let the world now."

"I… I thought that you made that clear enough a month ago."

"For the likes of Drakken maybe. For the rest of the world not so much. The problem isn't limited to villains Kim. The roots of 'evil' reach deep inside our society. Do you think that Drakken or Dementor could have pulled half their stunts without a few insiders? No, Kim. There is a lot more behind Dr. D trial than a simple quest for Justice. He is kept in a secret GJ facility because he wants to cooperate and avoid a death sentence. The problem is that he know too much. The WEE is not just a collection of lunatic villains. It's a network of criminal, politicians, law enforcers, corporations, drug dealers, slave traders. Heck, even the Army has plenty of rotten apples. And I'm talking only about the US. Can you imagine the whole world? GJ itself isn't as clean as we'd like to believe. A few heads rolled already and even more will roll in the coming months. GJ isn't has incompetent as we'd like to believe. They are being heavily restricted. Now is our chance to snap those chains and turn GJ in what it's supposed to be. The ultimate nightmare for every global scale criminal. "

I'm shocked. I can hardly believe that Ron is involved in this kind of game. How is he ever going to make it?

"H… how.. But what does it have anything to do with what happened today? They are going to picture you like a rabid dog."

"Hardly. Right now I'm practically untouchable by the media. There is a number of people out there supporting me that uttering a word against me could raise a mob. That's why I'm an asset for Betty. If anything this will bring the eye of the media on the school. This might avoid any involvement of our schoolmates in this war or at least it should more subtle and less dangerous for the bystanders. By discouraging the idiots to take action against me I might actually have saved their academic career."

"Uh. Take makes sense in a sick kind of way. Was the world this messed up from the get go ?"

"Pretty much. We barely brushed the surface up until now. Things are going to get even uglier. If you want to step back Kim that's the best moment."

Oh no. Never. I've made a promise.

"No way. I've told you already. I'm not going to let you down anymore. I will back you up one hundred percent. I swear." He smiles softly. Damn, I want to claim those lips for myself. I can't believe I'm crushing on Ron so badly. Why didn't I look at him like that before? Not boyfriend material my ass.

"Thanks Kim, but are you sure? If they can't get at me directly they will strike those I love. You have already witnessed what they can do. Sure the media are more than willing to throw some dirt on a celebrity but if you stick around me you will be targeted every day."

"I know. And I don't care. I took me almost losing you to understand what's really important. I'm not going to lose you again." He hugs me.

"Thanks. You have no idea what having your support means to me."

"If it's anything like the support you gave me over the years I think I can imagine. Come on. Enough mushy stuff. I need to go back and change. I can't go home wearing my cheerleader outfit."

"Oh. Ok. I'll wait here. I need to drop by Smarty Mart and buy some stuff for my…. guest." Shego. What could she want. "Womanly stuff if you know what I mean."

"Ah. Yes. You need help, don't you? Fine. But I'll do it for you, not for her. "

"Thanks. You are the best." I wave him off. Like this is anything.

"Don't mention it. I'll be right back. Don't run away ok?"

"I'll be waiting right here Kim." I enter the locker room to find most of the girls already in the showers.

"So, you are back." Tara was waiting for me. "Did you clear things up with him?" She is suddenly more civil. What is she up to?

"Yeah. We talked a little." I'm almost tempted to tell her that Ron kissed me, but I don't want to make things difficult for the two of them. Scratch that. I'd like to make things difficult, but then I would be a pretty lousy friend, wouldn't I?

"Good. Listen Kim, I know that Ron forgave you already and I know that you and him are pretty tight. I want you to know that I'm serious when I say that I want to date him. Now if you are not ok with it come out and say it. Cause I know how important is your friendship for him and I don't want to come between the two of you." I'm really, really tempted to tell her to stay out of our life, but I can't.

"I… No Tara. It's okay. I know that you really care for him. And I know that he likes you a lot so go ahead." She blinks a couple of time in surprise.

"R…Really? I thought… Don't you like him?" Sigh.

"Like him? Yes I do. But we discussed things and we agreed not to date. It's best for the both of us. We are really close already and we don't want to jeopardize our friendship. That pretty much sums it up."

"Ah…. Well…. I didn't expect that Kim…. Listen. I'm sorry for how I treated you lately… It's only that…."

"It pissed you off that I had such a nice and caring person beside me and I brushed him off?" She nods somewhat reluctantly. "For your information it piss me off as well. I had something really priceless and I've almost lost everything, and for what? A pretty face? Nah. I just don't deserve to be with him as I am now. But I warn you Tara. I'm not going to just stand aside and watch. If you don't make him more than happy I will steal him from you. Got that?"

"Sure. I don't know If I can forgive you as easily as he did, but I will work on it for his sake. Come on now, let's hit the showers."

Right. Maybe, if we work on it, we can all be friends again.

* * *

Author notes:

This was hard. I'm almost tempted to write it again but I'm feeling sick. Most probably a flu. Might take a little break from writing because of this. I'll be back as soon as I feel ok again. Bye.


	40. Heart

**Chapter 24 – Heart**

* * *

It feels good to look down on other people. The fact that I managed make the whole team feel ashamed of their behavior leaves me with a sweet taste in my mouth. Or is it Kim's taste? Regardless, I'm in an incredible good mood. It won't last, I know, but I've learned to enjoy the small moments.

Here I am, sitting just outside of the girls' locker room whistling a tune from the latest 'Oh Boyz' compilation. Yeah, my taste in music is both girlish and outdated, but what can I do about it?

Perhaps is the song or maybe he's simply hungry but Rufus stirs inside my pocket before popping out.

"Hhk. 'Morning."

"Morning? More like afternoon, buddy. Slept well? Of course, why do I even ask? So, are you hungry? Up for a trip to the closest Bueno Nacho?" He answers all of my questions with a vigorous nod of the head, especially the last question. "Good then. We'll go there right after a side trip to Smarty Mart with Kim. I need to buy some stuff for our guest."

Somehow the idea to do shopping with Kim for Shego doesn't sounds too good in his brain.

"Hhk! No Kim. Bad Kim. Hhk. Bad Shego."

"Whoa, dude. Calm down. Are you still irked because of the prom? You sure can hold a grudge. Come on. It's not a bid deal and it's in the past already. Hey, I managed to forgive Kim and give a Shego a change. Do you think you can do the same?"

"Hhhk! Don't wanna!" Stubborn little rodent.

"Please?" he shakes his head with his arms (front legs?) crossed on his chest. "Pretty please?" Oh. I know where this is going. "Not even for a double cheese Naco all for you." Got him. I can see the little wheels in his mind working at full power as his grudge and morals clash against his gluttony. Don't fight it buddy. You know it's stronger than you.

"Hhk. Fine. Cheater." He accept my proposal with a somewhat sad expression. It's hard to overcome your weaknesses, buddy.

"Don't feel too bad about it, buddy. Stronger persons fell to the power of the Naco. You don't need to feel ashamed about it." A little joke is all he needs to get back in a cheerful mood. That and the promise of a Naco in the near future.

The door of the locker room opens and Bonnie comes out. She looks at me with a strange expression, like she wants to say something but she doesn't know how. It's hard to maintain her (bitchy) standards and talk to people without being insulting. I feel sorry for her…. No wait, I don't.

"Everything ok, Bonnie?" I start the conversation first, trying to lure her in saying what she needs to say.

"Yeah. … Hey, Ron."

"Hm? What is it Bonnie?"

"I just wanted to say…. Wanted to… I mean…" It's not like her at all. If the expression she had during Kim's little tirade before is any indication I might know exactly what she's trying to say. It's not like she deserves to have it easy, she pretty much made my life a living hell at any given chance, yet I know that someone has to make the first step to improve the situation and I'm in the condition to do just that.

"I know. It's okay. Don't worry about it anymore." Her head snaps up to look at my in the eye. She's surprised that I understood what she wanted to say and that I forgive her that easily. "On a condition, though. Work on your ability to apologize. You'll never know when you'll have to actually do it."

"I… I'll try. Thanks." She grabs her bag and turns to leave, but I stop her.

"Hey Bonnie. Perhaps there is no need to tell you this, but… don't hold back on me. Despite everything you have always been honest with me. Not nice, I know, but honest. Don't worry about speaking your mind around me." She smiles a soft smile for a split second before it turns into her usual smirk.

"You might regret those words, you know?" I shrug.

"Life is a bet, Bonnie. You'll never gain anything if you always play it safe."

"You know what? You are right for once. See ya, Loser." There she goes. I watch her back (and her bottom) getting further away. I wouldn't want Bonnie to be any different from who she is. I came to realize that honesty is a rare gift and that I should appreciate it even when it hurts. I don't know how my relationship with her will be in the future, but at least it will be honest.

I don't have any more time to muse about it because the door opens again. One by one the girls slip out of the locker room making sure not to cross my eye. Yet they don't leave. When they are all outside Marcella speaks for all of them but still keeping her eyes downward.

"Humm. Ronald? I… We talked and… we wanted to… apologize. We.. haven't been good teammates and… and…"

"Marcella, it's okay. Thanks, though. I appreciate it." She finally raises her stare to look at me. It seems like she's holding her tears back. Is it because she feels guilty or because she scared of me?"All of you girls. Thanks." One by one they finally look at me. Marcella continues her speech.

"It's… Sorry, Ron. I… we just don't know how we can make it up to you. You left the team with all good reasons and…" I place my hand on her shoulder and she stiffens a little.

"It's okay, I said. If you really wish to make up to me then promise me that you will do your very best during the competitions ok. I will be there to watch all of you. So promise me that our team will be the best out there." She nods before hugging me lightly. It's an unexpected gesture and this time I'm the one who stiffens (not it the way you might be thinking). Tara growls and Marcella quickly releases me.

"I.. Okay I promise. We all do. Right girls?" They all nod with a chorus of cheerful 'Yeah.'

"Good, then we are all okay. Kim, we should be going." She nods. "Tara do you want to come with us?"

"No, Ron. Thanks but I have to meet Bonnie at her house. Another time, maybe?"

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye girls." They all wave in my direction before turning to leave. "Well then, shall we go, Kim?"

"Sure. … hey Ron. I don't want to sound boring but…you really grew up a lot." I laugh.

"I hear that a lot lately. Although the price of growing up all of a sudden was rather high." I wave the stump of my arm to make my point.

"I see." We walk together outside of the school when suddenly, just as we passed the school gates a bright flash explode in my eye.

"MR. STOPPABLE! MR. STOPPABLE!" Holy shit! Where did these guys came out from? I can count at least thirty people between reporters and cameramen. "Mr. Stoppable! Can we please have a statement…."

Questions over questions. I can't even make out what they are asking me much less give an answer. The crowd pushes me and Kim apart. I can already see a few of them barraging her with questions. I manage to hear a few nasty ones. Something about her relationship with me, of course. I don't like the way this is going and I make my way to her pushing people aside.

"Miss Possible. What can you tell us about the allegations that insinuate that your argument with Mr. Stoppable the night of the invasion was about an abortion you had…" The blonde bitch who's pointing her mic in front of Kim is going to have an unpleasant surprise. I pull out an old trick and I fake a trip. With my shoulder pushing the closest cameraman I manage to stay on my feet while the guy takes a step back. Chain reaction, good old dumb skills. The guy I pushed bumped against the one behind him, which in turn, did the same with the one behind. It takes just a couple of other people stepping back to have a person fall right over that woman, crushing her on the ground. Serves you right.

I finally make my way to Kim and I grab her hand. Then I turn to the crowd.

"All questions will be answered tomorrow evening during a press conference. No statement of any kind will be released until then." They don't seem to like that as the questions don't stop for a second. They ignore my statement and I ignore their questions in return. "Obliviously if you can't understand the meaning of 'tomorrow' then answering your questions is futile."

"The people have the right to know." Someone screams from the crowd.

"And they will know! Tomorrow!" is my simple answer. I turn my back on them and walk alongside Kim to Smarty Mart. Of course those hounds didn't leave us alone the whole way there and even inside. This mob actually drew more attention and the stare of the curious. By the time we end our shopping there are at least a hundred persons. We ignore everyone, both the reporters and the people asking for autographs. I'm glad that I've asked Kim to come with me. I can't imagine what kind of made up story these guys would come up with if they saw me buying stuff in the women dept.

I drop Kim by her house with the reporters still in tow. A few of them 'camped' right there. A couple of vans with antennas and the different TVs logos printed on the side parked in front of her and my house. Great. I hope that Shego went hiding in the attic like planned. As I step on the garden I turn to address my followers.

"Beyond this point is private property. Step inside and I'll sue you for trespassing." And I walk inside without paying them any more attention. "Whew. Sorry, Rufus. No Bueno nacho. I'll have something delivered here, ok?"

"Hhk. Ok!" And he scurries up the stairs and into our room.

The house is silent except for the sounds of the crowd from outside. No trace of my guest. Good.

I reach the kitchen I pour myself a glass of milk. I walk around the house to that check all window and curtains are closed. Seem fine. I walk up the stairs to the attic. I knock on the door and announce myself.

"It's me. Ron." The sound of the lock clicking is my signal to enter. I step inside the dark room and she closes the door behind me.

"Finally you are here. You were right. There is quite the crowd around you. Are you sure is safe for me to hide here?" I can understand her concern.

"Yeah. As you said no one would look for you here. As long as we keep our guard up we should be fine."

"We? Aren't you getting a little too comfortable around me?" There's a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Not comfortable as I'd like it to be, Shego. But I'm working on it." She laughs softly.

"Yeah? I can't wait to see how comfortable you can be with me around." She pushes me against the door, pinning me between her (soft) body and the wooden surface. The curves against my chest are more than an adequate motivation for my blood to flow south, but I'm not going to give in so easily. "Are you comfy?"Oh? She wants to play? /Well then, let's play/.

"Hmm? I wouldn't say so. The door isn't exactly the best surface to lay my back and besides there is not enough light in here."

"Oh? And what use do you have for the light? You don't like being in the dark with me?" /Babe. I'd join the dark side with you./

"Oh, I'm all in favor to be in the dark with you, but like this I can't see your wonderful features. That's such a waste." I whisper the last part in her ear and I let my hand wander lightly on her back. Not too south. /Yet/.

The goosebump on her neck is my reward and she pushes herself back. I could swear that I saw her blush, but it's too dark to actually see.

"… You became smoother… I'll give you that." I laugh.

"Smoother? Not really. I just lost all those little inhibitions along with my sanity. I don't care if a girl pushes me back or not anymore. "

"Ron… That's what being smooth is. In part at least." Ah. I've never thought about that.

"…. I see. Well I've learned something new." I'm genuinely surprised.

"You are such a dork." I cover the distance between us and this time I pin her against a stack of boxes.

"A dork who gives you goosebumps." I whisper in her ear and then just step back. I'm not going to force me on her in any way. There are limits to this game, and the one I've imposed myself is to never put her in a condition where she could feel forced or under attack.

I take a couple of steps back and reach the door before speaking again. "I'll have dinner ready soon. You don't mind eating up here, right?" And I slip outside before she has a chance to answer or to retaliate my flirt. Retreating is pretty good tactic to end a confrontation while it's still in your favor. And when it comes to running away I'm unbeatable.

I hear the lock closing behind me. I'm not sure if she does it to keep me out or just as a safety measure. I don't like it, though. She barely came out of her shell and now she has to hide up there. Damn it. I forgot that I promised her to make the attic more comfortable. I need to clean up there. I fetch some cleaning supplies before going back to the attic. Once in front of the door I knock again.

"Hey. It's me again. Let me in, please." Once more the lock turns to let me in.

"What? Did you forget something?" She's still a little angry about losing our little 'match'.

"Yeah. This place is all dusty. Go hide in my room while I clean this place up, ok?"

"What? You don't need to do that." Oh no. I'm not going to allow her to live in here like this.

"Yes I do. Now leave and let me do my job."

"But…" She tries to object.

"No Buts. Out! Let me work." I push her out and once she's on the other side of the door she finally gives in. I hear the footstep to my room and the door closing. Luckily both my room and the attic windows face the back garden, making it harder for anybody to sneak a peek without trespassing. Something that works in my favor for a change. I open the windows to change the air and then start dusting. Little by little I push the boxes against the wall in order to leave more space for her to live in. In a corner I have an old couch resting under a blanket. I make sure to have it clean for her to sit or sleep on. It's actually rather comfy for a couch. I don't think she will mind using it as a bed for a while. There is also an old TV set somewhere up here. I'm sure that I can have it up and running in little time.

An hour or so later the place looks like new. Sure the boxes against the wall might not be the best decoration around, but as a wanted criminal I don't think she can complain.

I walk to my room in search of Shego and I find her on my bed, browsing through a few of my books.

"Shego." She turns to look at me.

"Hey. Finished already?" I nod. "Good. Hey can I borrow a few of these?" She says pointing at the shelf. I nod again.

"Sure, go ahead. But if you are looking for a way to kill some time you might want to look at your new room." She looks at me with an inquiring expression.

"What do you mean?"

I prefer to show her instead of answering. When we reach the attic again she's speechless. Well I didn't think that it was such a big thing. The room is now clean and the couch is deployed in front of the TV. I also hanged an old sandbag Kim gave me. So she can vent out her frustration, saving countless innocent pillows. Finally she regains control of her mouth.

"You… did all this? For… me?" Wow. I didn't think that such a little gesture could surprise her like that. "… Thanks!"

"Uh. You are welcome. It was nothing, really." She doesn't seem to agree. What kind of life did she live to be surprised by such a meaningless thing?

"Uh-Uh." She says shaking her head. "It's not nothing. It might be a little thing, but definitely it's not nothing." I don't know what to say. I'm usually not appreciated even when I do something big. To be thanked so much for such a little gesture leaves me completely dumbfounded.

"I… Well, you are welcome. Make yourself at home. I… I'll have dinner ready shortly. Is there something you'd like to eat?"

"No. Whatever you do will be fine." I nod and leave her room.

While I walk downstairs I wonder what's happening between me and Shego. Our relationship is really odd. One moment we are flirting, then we are talking like we have been friend for ages and then there are those little moments where I can grasp something of her real self. She's a living mystery to me.

Half an hour of high cuisine later I'm once more climbing the stairs to the attic. I'm about to knock but the door is opened before I have a chance to.

"Come in. I smelled the food as soon as you were on the second floor." Wow. She's positively giddy.

"Hmm? Are you looking forward to this wonderful meal I've prepared?"

"Hell yes! Best stuff I ever tasted. Come on." We both sit at the small table I placed in the middle of the room and then we start eating. It's a pleasant atmosphere. I think I understand what make me and Shego so comfortable. It's the fact that we only have each other right now. Outside of these walls the World wants to swallows us whole. For different reasons, but that doesn't matter. Only inside here we can be our true self without fear of anyone taking advantage of our weaknesses. Of course I know that there is more to Shego than what she has showed me so far, but I also know that by showing me who I really am she's, little by little, doing the same with me. I can't wait to see what real her truly is.

Having finished my food I place the fork on the plate. "So how was it?"

"Delicious. Honestly, Ron. If anyone cooked like you in prison I would have never broke out of there." I laugh before turning serious again. She's s little startled by my sudden change in behavior. I stand up and walk to her side of the table. She doesn't move, too curious to see where this is going. I cup her face with my hand and she still doesn't move. A statement of her trust in me.

"You mean that you want to be my prisoner, Shego?" Now she blushes. Just a darker shade of green on her cheek. So cute.

"I… I already am, aren't I?" I shake my head.

"No. You are here because you want to be. You might lock yourself in if you want, but that's your choice." I run my thumb on her lips and she shivers. We know each other so little and yet…. There is something about her that I find more alluring than any other woman I know. I have no idea of what it is, but I'm eager to find out.

"Why are you telling me this? I don't have a choice but to be here."

"… I'm not talking about your forced residence here Shego. I'm talking about you and me. I don't know what prompted you to open up to me, but I'm glad you did. And I'm glad I did the same. That's what I'm telling you."

"I… You told me that I work for you. That I have to do as you say. Yet you tell me I have a choice now? What game are you playing at?"

"You work for me indeed, Shego. But I'm your boss, not your master. I don't own you. Nor I want to."

"… Why?" She stands up and faces me. "You say that you wanted me. Desired me. Yet you pushed me away when I offered myself to you. Why? Respect? Don't give me that crap. What is that you want from me?" I let my hand slide from her face to her chest stopping right above her breasts. Only my index finger is touching her. Right above her heart.

"This. That's what I want." I can tell that my words surprised her.

"Wha..?"

"Shego you don't understand. I like the idea of having sex with you very much, but that just not enough. Sex can be bought. Sex can be traded. Sex can be stolen. Sex can be forced." I'm afraid she knows all this quite too well. "But your heart on the other hand can't be bought, traded, stolen or forced. It's yours to give to whomever you want. And that's what I want, Shego. Not what I can take from you, but what you alone can GIVE me." During my little speech she blushed harder and harder.

"I… I … don't…" She stammers something, but ultimately she can't come up with anything. I continue.

"I don't know if we are going to be friends, lovers or more, Shego. I don't actually care right now. What I want is what you want to give me. No more, no less." She finally seems to have gathered the strength to speak again.

"And if I wanted to give you a slap right now, what would you do?" Uh. I didn't consider that. Can't back down now.

"Go right ahead. Give me whatever you want." Her hand raises but I don't remove my eye form hers. It comes down fast and I brace for the impact, but it doesn't come. Instead her hand is resting softly on my cheek. I don't have time to question as she draws me closer and kisses me with equal softness on the bandage that covers my lost eye. Now I'm the one speechless.

"… What was that?" I ask her.

"What I wanted to give you. A token of my gratitude."

"For what?"

"…For your words…. For your actions…" I nod. "Could you…. Leave me alone for a while? I need to think."

"Sure. Just let me gather the dishes and I'll be on my way." I do just that and then I'm out of the attic. I'm not exactly sure of what happened back there, but it was important. That much I can tell.

I have no idea where my relationship with Shego is going, but it's definitely going to be better than the one we had before finding ourselves stuck in this situation. Now I promised a pink friend an extra cheese Naco. Let's get to it.

* * *

Author note:

All right. The interaction between Ron and Shego writes itself every time (Am I a secret Rongo?). No clue, but it came out just like that. I like it. I hope you do too

See ya.


	41. Dreams

**Chapter 25 – Dreams**

* * *

Naco Delivery Ninja. Could you imagine that? Well, try.

I called Ned to order the double cheese Naco I promised Rufus and no longer than 10 minutes later it was here on the table. Problem is that no one delivered it. It was simply there. It wasn't a surprise at this point finding Sensei reply inside the package. Damn, this guy are everywhere. However I'm too much in a good mood to really worry about them. When I've learned that Bueno Nacho wasn't about to close after Drakken plot I was positively happy. Sure it's going to be hard for them to survive the drop in popularity, but hey, I'm sure that people like Ned will bring the Sacred Temple to its former glory. It's just a matter of time.

Anyway I leave Rufus to his meal and I read the letter Sensei sent me. Hmm. 'Greetings Stoppable-San '…. 'Glad to hear from you….' The usual stuff. Ah here is the interesting part. 'Don't worry about the path you follow. It's called Art because it changes from person to person. The book is only a guideline, teaching you what every step does. However, just like painting, it can only teach you what are the brushes and the colors. How to paint it's up to you. Keep practicing.'

I see. This makes things rather simple. The only thing I have to do is keep practicing. Let's do it.

I walk up to my room and fetch the book. A little overview before continuing won't hurt.

Five minutes later I'm back on the couch in the living room. I can't wait to see how far I can go with this.

I spend most of the evening practicing with the Art. I think that I can manage to 'fade' in less than a minute now. Of course it depends on the conditions. Doing it in a combat situation is way beyond my skills. Hmm I can ask Shego to help me with that.

I'm suddenly ripped from my trance by the vibration of the cell phone in my pocket. It's Betty.

"Hey, Betty. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. I'm not going to ask you, though. I see that the hounds are all around your house. Do you want me to make them leave?"

"It would be appreciated but not necessary. I can handle them and we don't need to clash with them too soon. We need them to put pressure on the higher ups. Leave them be."

"Ok. I have news for your 'Guest'. The Big One agreed with our plan. We will proceed immediately. I'll come over to your house tomorrow during your press conference, when no one will be there to watch. Do you mind having her around until the trial?"

"Hm? Not really. We're getting along just fine. I can keep her here."

"Good…. I hope you aren't… Nah. You are old enough to take care of yourself. Be careful with her, though."

"I will. Don't worry about it. Thanks for calling. I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Sure. Bye, Ron."

Well, here we are. I guess I had enough practice for today. I walk upstairs and to my room. I lay on the bed trying to focus of something unimportant, but I can't.

"Crap. Too many things to think about. Maybe it's better if I just go to sleep. Yeah, right. So I can be wide awake at two in the morning. … Ahhh! Fuck it!" I stand up again and walk downstairs into the basement.

Here, covered in dust, are laying several tools and Dads' old motorbike. This is also where I put all the weights Kim gave me to work out during the years. Never used them once. Well let's get to it.

With nothing better to do I decide to clean this place up. I might as well turn it into my personal gym or something.

When I finish cleaning the place it's almost midnight.

"Well, would you look at that. I've become a glorified housewife. So much for the hero of the Diablo Invasion. Tch. More like the Prom Night loser." It still hurts. Not so much for Kim behavior, more like for my own through the years. Damn I was such a wimp. And I still am. Fuck. I should have left it behind me already. Aaah. Let's just leave it as it is.

I walk back upstairs to take a quick shower and get changed into my pajama. It's still too early to sleep. Maybe some late night TV and snackage? Yeah that sounds good. Rufus is already asleep. Damn how I envy that ability to fall asleep on command.

With a bag of chip, cheese flavored of course, I sit on the couch and turn on the TV. Ugh. The news.

"… Mr. Stoppable avoided all of our questions today. Yet his closeness to Miss Possible gives us to think about all the rumors we heard about them this past month." Nice of you to notice. "What was exactly the reason of their argument that night? More than a few insinuated that Miss Possible was having an affair with Mr. Stoppable, yet plenty of witnesses saw her at the school Prom with another boy." Don't they know the truth about Eric? "If we have to believe to the witnesses, Miss Possible date turned out to be an accomplice of Dr. Lipsky, whose objective was to restrain Miss Possible in the event that she tried to interfere with his plot. We can assume that this plan worked extremely well considered that Mr. Stoppable was the only to stop the Diablo Invasion. What could have happened to the two teammates to create a rift between them? Can we assume that there is at least some truth about their romantical involvement? We must wait tomorrow to find out…."

I switch channel

"…. Of course. It's true. She definitely cheated on him. It's obvious. There is no other reason for their argument that…" Gh. I don't want to hear this shit. Another channel. More news. Where the hell is a nice Monkey movie when you need it?

"… No evidence of pregnancies. Yet Miss Possible mother is a renown doctor. Could she have helped her daughter in…." I'm getting pissed. I turn off the TV. I knew it. They are attacking her. Nothing better than a sexual affair to raise the share, uh?

I should have see it coming. By associating her with me I made her a target. Nah. Even the opposite would have had the same effect. At least like this I can give her some sort of protection. I hope that's for the best.

With no more appetite I put the untouched bag of chips back where I found it. Might as well go to bed.

As I walk upstairs I'm tempted to check on Shego, but maybe it's not a good idea. She didn't come out of the attic since before. Let us leave the lion rest.

I slip under the after watching outside the windows. Just beyond my garden there are a lot of TV van parked. They are not going to leave. Fuckers.

Bah. They are not worth losing my sleep over them. I close my eye and try to relax. Let's hope for a quiet night.

…

* * *

_Blood. The hill is covered in blood. Corpses everywhere around me._

_Clashing metal. Someone is fighting at the top of the hill. I walk over the bodies, drenching myself in their blood. As I get closer to the top I can feel their power._

_There they are. But who are they? I can't distinguish them very well._

_A man. That's certain. He's holding a blood red spear. His strike are fast and precise. Amazing. Can a human even be that fast? The speed of his strike are only matched by his foe._

…

_Who is this person? Why does he…no… she looks so familiar? Blond hairs. A tiny yet powerful frame. A stern expression on her gentle features. She's holding a golden blade. It's power his awesome. I can feel it form here. The way she's fighting… Such grace. Such strength. Her armor is stained by blood. The blue dress under it is simply wonderful._

_Where am I? When am I?_

_Spears and swords. Shields and axes. Who are they?_

"_You are strong, King of Knights. But this battle is mine." The man voice is deep and exude confidence and amusement. Such raw power in his words._

"_We shall see. Come forth, Cu Chulainn. Let's end this." The crystalline voice of this woman is strong like steel and pure like the driven snow. The two warriors take a few steps back from each other. The air is filled by a feeling of impending death._

"_A challenge? Very well. I will not disappoint." His voice is filled by his desire to kill. "Gouge her heart out, __**GAE BOLG!**__"_

_It all happens in a second. Maybe less. The warriors throws the weapon at his foe, so fast that the spears seems like a red beam. Yet she doesn't waver. Nothing but determination fills her eyes. She raises her blade ready to strike. As the spear is about to impale her, she swings the sword down. Her crystalline voice screaming its name._

"_**EXC-…."**_

* * *

I'm ripped out of my dream with a soundless scream. I'm drenched in sweat. Again. But I'm not scared this time. I'm… excited? What was that all about? What…?

There is something in my hand. Something hard and cold. I look down.

With no doubt the spear from my dream is firmly in my grasp. What the hell was that?

The voice of the Lotus blade echoes in my mind as the spear turns back to its original shape.

"What…?" But she doesn't answer. Like most women she likes to play 'hard to get'. Fine, don't answer. It's probably one of those things that makes sense only if you learn them by yourself. Her answer is a chuckle in the back of my mind. Tease. You will reveal your secrets to me sooner or later.

I turn to look at the clock. It's too early. Just three o'clock.

"Hmmprrf… No way that I'm going to sleep now. At least did not scream my lungs out this time." I stand up and gather a changes of clothes. Another late night shower for the Ron Man. I place the blade in the cloth I use to hide her.

"Try to stay there this time. If you pop out while I'm in the shower I might end up cutting something important." She doesn't acknowledge my humor but I know she heard me. "Fine. Just ignore me. Do you think I'm not used to it?" This time a sense of amusement reaches me through our link.

Without any other word I slip out of my room and reach the bathroom. Since no one is waiting for me the shower tonight I take my time in the shower and I recall the dream I just had. If it was even my dream at all, I might add. Who where those people? Cu Chulainn? I'm pretty sure I've never heard that name before. Yet the blade changed into that spear. … Gae Bolg? What the hell does all this mean? Too bad the Blade isn't a talkative one. She might know something more. Yeah she definitely knows something.

When I've finished drying myself I feel really better but not sleepy at all. Might as well hit the kitchen. Yeah. A glass of cold milk sounds really good right now.

Walking down the stairs I hear a noise… What was that? But there is only silence. I tap into the Power of Cowardice and my sense are magnified. A sob? Somebody is crying. Shego?

I'm divided. She's not the kind of person who likes to show her tears, but… I can't just leave her like this, can I? Slowly I make my way upstairs. I stand in front of the door for a good minute, listening to her sobs. Somehow the imagine of her face filled with tears doesn't clash with her strong personality. If I've learned something from my experiences is that strength usually steams from pain and scars. It doesn't comes as a surprise that she has reasons to cry.

I raise my fist to knock. My hand freezes in mid air. Sigh. Let's just hope that I'm not about to end like that pillow. I definitely don't want to lose another limb. Ah well. Here goes nothing.

*KNOCK*KNOCK*

* * *

Author Note:

There goes another chapter. A little shorter than usual, but you must consider the next interlude as a part of this one.

I dropped another few hints in this chapter and I'm sure than more than a few readers is guessing what's going on. I take this chance to remember everyone who might know who are those characters that this story is NOT a crossover.

And I really mean it. THIS story is not a crossover….

Bye.


	42. Interlude Green  Hate

**Interlude Green – Hate**

* * *

I hate it. Why does he make me feel like this? Why isn't he like all the others?

I hate it. I used to be the one in control. I used to be the one who made other people cry.

I hate it. Why can't he be like everybody else. Trying to take what he wants from me?

Why? If he did that, then I would know what to do. How to react.

How? How can he break through all my defenses like they aren't even there?

How can he get under my skin so easily?

I'm not ready. I don't even remember how to trust someone. It's been too long.

I'm scared. Mom, I'm scared. I don't know what to do. The only thought of opening up to someone makes me tremble in fear. He will hurt me. Just like everybody else did. Like Dad did. Like you did.

I don't want to. I don't want to!

Help me. Please. Somebody. Help me. I don't want to be a scared child again.

*KNOCK*KNOCK*

"Shego? Are you all right?" The sound of his voice snaps me out of my panic. He's here. Just behind the door. "Shego? … Shego if you don't answer me I'll open the door."

"A… I'm all right. Do… Don't come in." I don't want him to see me like this. Frail. Scared. Hopeless.

"… Are you sure? It doesn't sound like you are all right to me. … Can I come in? Please?" Damn you! Damn you! Why don't you just leave me alone or come through that door regardless of what I want? Why do you have to be gentle to me? I'm not used to it. It scares me.

"…No. Stay there."

"… All right. Just… don't cry anymore." Then I don't hear anything else. Did he leave? I didn't hear any footstep.

"… Ronald?" I try to call him.

"Hmm? What is it, Shego?" he's still there.

"W… What are you doing? Why are you still there?"

"Uh. You… told me to stay here." Wha… I didn't… Oh. I did.

"I didn't mean it like that. I.. just don't want you to enter this room. You can go back to sleep." A moment of silence.

"I… can't sleep. Can I stay here?"

"You … mean on the stairs? It doesn't sound too comfortable."

"Indeed. But it's better than my room right now."

"I see." Silence again. I get up from the couch and walk to the door. He's behind here. Just behind this thin wooden surface. I could be so easy. Just open up and let him in. The door isn't even locked. Yet it's so scary. Letting someone inside, to see the real you. It's the scariest thing ever. I settle on the ground with by back against the door. This is the closer I can let him be. It feels a little warm as if… "Ron? Are you resting against the door?"

"..Yeah? You too? Your voice sounds closer than before." Busted. Damn him. Since when is he so aware?

"Yeah." I reply.

"…. Isn't the couch comfortable? I'm sorry. It's the best I have to offer right now." Stupid. What has it to do with anything?

"No. The couch is fine. I just felt like resting on the floor."

"I see." Silence again. Why doesn't he ask? I thought he wanted to know why I'm crying.

"You… why?"

"Why what, Shego?" Don't play dumb. You aren't like that anymore.

"Why aren't you asking me the reason? Don't you want to know why I'm crying?" I have to know. What does he want? Didn't he come up here to play Knight? Another moment of silence.

"…Not really. I don't like the fact that you are crying but…. Do I even have the right to ask? If you wanted me to know you would have told me already. Nah. It's up to you to talk about it."

"Then… Why did you come up here If you didn't want to know?" More silence.

"I.. don't really know. I thought that maybe... You could want some company. The night can be scary when you can't sleep." I didn't expect that.

"Yeah. Are you scared as well?" .. Crap! I've told him.

"Shego, I'm always scared." Oh. That's so like the old him.

"What are you scared of?" Nice move. He is all nice and respectful and you had to stick your nose.

"… Plenty of things. I'm not sure I can count them all. Right now I'm scared of the future, though."

"The future? That's so vague. What do you mean?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Shego. Who am I going to be? I just discovered that I have a great potential and it scares me shitless. When you are a nobody no one really cares about what you do, but now…. No that's not true. I used to think that such things mattered. Not anymore. I don't really care about what the world thinks about me. It's what I think of myself that matters right now. And… and I don't know what to think. I'm empty. I can only look at the future and hope that whatever happens will leave me satisfied with myself. But that's just stupid. How many chances are there for such a thing to happen?"

"Close to none I'm afraid." I reply him bluntly. No need to sugarcoat the truth.

"Exactly. It doesn't work like that. What I have to do is to grasp the things I want with my own strength. Fight for what I desire. But… I have no idea of what I want. I was fine with living as a slacker. Giving the minimum required to keep on living. But I can't anymore. That night…. When I crushed Drakken plan I felt…. I felt alive for the second time in my life. I can't just go back to simply surviving."

"I… I understand." I really do. But I'm too curious to know and I have to ask. "When was the first time?" I ask him.

"Hmm? First time?"

"Yeah. You said that you felt alive for the second time. When was the first time?" Silence. Did I ask a bad question? Maybe it's something he doesn't want to talk about. But then he answers.

"It was when… I met Kim." Ah. I should have known. There is hurt in his voice. Of course. The pain of being rejected by someone you cared about. I know it very well. Despite their reconciliation it must still hurt. He trusted her and she crushed his heart. It doesn't matter who was truly at fault. It hurts. Period.

"I'm sorry. I… If I knew…." I'm apologizing? Why? It's not like there was any friendship between us when it happened. We were enemies. There is no reason why I should apologize to him for what happened back then.

"Hmpf… You are funny, Shego." What?

"Funny? I'm trying to apologize here." I retort with a little resentment.

"That's why I say you are funny. What are you apologizing for? Because of Eric? Come on. If he was a real guy it wouldn't have been any different. Nah. The mistake was all mine and Kim's. Don't sweat it."

"… You are too forgiving for your own good. Some resentment might help you."

"Really? How so? Denying my faults, blaming others for my mistakes… how is it going to help me? Would you do that, Shego? I don't think so. You proved it the other day, when you refused to be pitied for your choices. That's why I respect you." How am I supposed to answer to that?

"Do you realize that you are talking about an evil person who lived by stealing, threatening and hurting others?"

"Yeah. So what? I'm not saying that I approve your choices, only that I respect the way you lived them. With pride, with your head up. Don't make mistakes, Shego. Most of the world is made by persons who are too scared to act evil to be a villain, not because they don't want to. You, on the other hand, have always accepted the consequences of your choices."

"Damn you! You are doing it again." Oh no. I said it out loud.

"Doing what?"

"… It doesn't matter." But he isn't going to let go this easily.

"Aww. Come on. Tell me. What did I do?" Should I tell? No. No way.

"It doesn't matter."

".. Fine. Don't tell. But I'm warning you, Shego. It won't hold."

"W… What are you talking about?"

"This! This door placed between us. I understand, you know. You are leaving it unlocked but you don't want me to come in. I won't do it. I won't break the defenses you've built around your heart. No, I'll be waiting right here until the day you choose to open it yourself."

He knows. How did he…

"W… W.. Why?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, Shego. I've told you already. It's about giving, not taking. " Then a moment of silence. "I should really go and try to get some sleep. Goodnight, Shego."

"… Goodnight, Ron" I hear him getting up and walking down the stairs. The door is quickly losing its warmth in the coldness of the night without him against it. I get up as well and return to the couch. Only now I notice that I've stopped crying. When did it happen? How long ago did I stop shaking?

It was him again. Damn you, Ron Stoppable. How can you have this power on me? I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

I hate you.

* * *

Author Note:

Another glimpse in Shego past. What might have happened to our favorite villain? Of course I'm not going to tell you beforehand. I'm not going to spoil the story. You wanna know? Then keep reading.

I took some advice at heart at I'm pointing out who's talking more often, so that the dialogue is easier to follow, let me know if I managed to do it.


	43. Surge

**Chapter 26 – Surge**

* * *

Great. Barely four hours of sleep and I have a wonderful day ahead of me. Ain't I lucky? Waking up today was not one of the things I wanted to do. But I don't have many choices in the matter, have I? Well Stoppable. Drag your ass out of the bed and start cooking. The first meal of the day is the most important after all.

I make my way to the kitchen not before refreshing and changing into the clothes I bought yesterday at Smarty Mart. Gray cargo pants and a black shirt. Simple yet cool.

Cooking is one of the few activities where I find myself completely at peace. When I'm working on food I don't care about anything else. My little corner of paradise. The only thing that tops this is watching people eat what I've prepared. That's why I put an extra effort when I cook for somebody else. Add a little more spice, change that recipe to twist the taste enough to be surprising but not too much to lose its original flavor. It's a work of art.

With a healthy and abundant breakfast in your stomach the day takes a whole different turn. Balancing the tray with my hand I make my way upstairs to eat with Shego.

…

Now that's a problem. How am I supposed to knock with my only hand busy with the tray? I'm not sure that kicking the door while standing on the stairs with a tray in your hand is a good idea. So I make the only thing possible. I smash my head against the door trying not to hurt myself. This is ridiculous.

"Wha..?" Is Shego startled response on the other side of the door. Did I wake her up?

"Uh. Shego. Breakfast is ready. Open up." A moment of silence.

"… Ok. Just give me a minute." I hear a lot of noise. What is she doing? A minute later she opens the door and I step inside. She closes the door behind me and I turn to look at her wondering what's up. Time freezes.

She's wearing one of Anne snug shirts and a pair of form fitting jeans. She's gorgeous but I knew that already. No what really surprises me it's her hairs. She has them in a long ponytail that leaves her neck exposed and underlines her graceful features. Her eyes are a little red from this night tears. Damn it. I so want to hug her right now and tell her everything is going to be fine.

"…What wrong?" She snaps me out of my trance.

"Uh… Nothing.. just…" I stammer a response.

"What?"

"You…. are …. Gorgeous." She didn't expect a compliment out of the blue and she blushes lightly.

"Uh. Thanks." Then she points at the tray. "Breakfast?"

"Oh. Right. Breakfast. Let's eat."

We sit down and eat. We are halfway through our meal before I speak again.

"So, Shego…." I look at her. "I spoke with Betty yesterday evening. She'll drop by today so that you can start on your…."

"Confessions?" She suggests.

"Yeah. Something like that. She has a pair of keys so she can get in by herself There shouldn't be anyone around the house at that time since everyone will be probably attending the conference. Anyway keep your guard up in any case, all right?"

"Doy. I don't need you to tell me that. I can take care of myself." She retorts with pride.

"Yes, I know. Doesn't make me care for you any less, though." I wasn't supposed to say that out loud.

…. Uncomfortable silence. I resume eating, pretending that I never said that.

"… Do you really mean it?" I knew she wouldn't just drop the subject. I just nod. "Why? No longer than four days ago you wanted to kick me out of your house. What changed?" Now that's a good question.

"Uh… I've got to know you a little?" For some reasons she doesn't like my answer. She puts her fork down and glares at me.

"You… don't know anything about me. Don't assume that you know who I am." She gets up from her chair. Her demeanor is definitely threatening. What the hell is wrong all of sudden? I stand up to face her. Shego is the kind of person that will attack even more if you step back.

"Shego… Calm down." I speak with a no nonsense tone. No room for discussions.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do." She flares her powers. "I'm going to… going… to…" her powers shut down and she looks at me like she doesn't see me. Then she slumps on the ground, unconscious. What the hell? I pick her up and as soon as I touch her skin I feel her burning.

"Holy shit! Shego." I try to wake her up. She opens her eyes briefly.

"…Ron…" Just a whisper. Damn it. What's wrong with her.

"Shego I'm going to call Betty and tell her to bring a doctor. You have a fever. That temperature is not normal." But she holds my hand before I can reach for the phone in my pocket.

"No… doctors.. I'm fine…"

"Yeah, right. You are fine and I'm the Pope." I try to reach the phone but she stops me once again.

"No… It's just a… power surge… I… It happens. Every month…." Every month?... Oh.. Oooooh!

"W.. What can I do for you? Can I help?" She barely nods.

"Need cold… Ice… A shower. Lower my temperature." Oh. Ok easy enough.

"I'll be right back Shego." I dart out of the room all the way down to the kitchen. An ice bag. Anything cold might be of use. Gathering everything I could I run back upstairs? I place the ice on her forehead but it melts in a couple of minutes. This is not normal. Her powers are bringing the fever to a brand new level. I need water. Lots of water. "Sorry, Shego. I'm going to be a little rough." She just nods. I pick her up from the ground and place her on my shoulder like a bag of flour holding her by her legs.

As carefully as I can I walk down to the bathroom, pushing the door open with my foot. I lay Shego in the bathroom stall as gently as possible.

"Shego. I'm going to turn the cold water on now. Are you ready?"

"… Do it…" I let the cold liquid fall on her. As soon as it touches her skin it evaporates. Her body must be like a stove now. I open the window slightly, just to let the vapor flow out of the room. It takes at least five minutes before her temperature drops enough to stop producing steam.

The bathroom is flooded. Shego is sitting in the shower seemingly asleep. Well, fuck! That was one of the most awkweird things ever. I let the water run some more, until I notice that she is shivering. Towels. Towels, towels.

"Shego… Shego wake up." She opens her eyes and this time she looks really awake.

"Ron… What happened? Why am I all wet?" She doesn't remember?

"You had a… power surge? You told me that you needed a cold shower so…" she blushes.

"Did… did I act strange? Did I….?" Uh? She doesn't remember at all.

"Yes you were sort of.. aggressive. I almost thought I had to fight you."

"Just that? Nothing else?" What did else did she expect?

"Pretty much. You fell unconscious in a couple of seconds so…" She seems relieved.

"Ah. Thank goodness. I…" She meets my stare and blushes again. What is this all about?

"Shego are you feeling ok? Seriously, I can call Anne." She shakes her head.

"No.. No need. I'm fine now. This is the last day so… The crisis is over. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"You sure? Oh well, I guess you know better. Here, dry yourself. I'll bring you some clothes, ok? I'll leave them out of the door." She nods.

"Yes, Thank you."

A couple of minutes later I'm back in front of the bathroom with some spare clothes. I leave them on the floor before knocking.

"Shego. I'm leaving your stuff out here. Listen… I really have to go or I'll be late for school. Are you sure you are gonna be ok?" I ask her.

"Yes. Don't worry. I've got it covered. I'll see you later this evening, ok? Sorry about …. You know."

"Don't worry about it. I guess monthly issues are a whole different problem when you've got Plasma running through your veins, right?" I try to ease the atmosphere with a light joke..

"You have no idea, Ron. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." Her voice still sounds a little weak.

"Hmmm, ok. But if you are in need of anything give me or Betty a call."

"Got it. You should really go now." She's right.

"Whoops. Too true. See ya later Peppermint!" Where did that come out from?

"PE….? PEPPERMINT!" Whoa. She sounds angry. I'd better leave. "STOPPABLE! I'M GOING TO HAVE YOUR HIDE FOR THIS! JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Ah. Don't bother. I've really got to go. Lateeeeer!" I run downstairs and bolt out of the door with my backpack on my shoulder. I can still hear her rant while I'm halfway to the kitchen.

As soon as I'm outside the cameras start flashing and filming. I chose to ignore the reporters while I run to school. That little incident took me a lot of precious time. I can't allow landing myself in detention today. I sprint all the way there, surprised by own stamina. The reporters stop at the gates, since they are not allowed inside. Good for me.

When I step in the bell is already ringing. I dash to the classroom to see Barkin closing the door behind him. If I get inside after the door is closed he's going to tear me apart. I launch myself on the ground sliding on the floor and inside the door, passing right under the stern teacher legs. Home Run! I stand up in the silenced classroom. They are all staring at me without a word. Patting my pants I turn to look at the dumbfounded man. "Yo. Good morning Mr. B." The old veteran lets out a low growl.

"Stoppable. You are cutting it too close for your own good. Remember what I've told you just yesterday."

"I would never dare to forget, Mr. B." I snap to attention.

"… Move along Stoppable. Go sit at your desk." He lets me go with a tone of resignation. Old Mr. B. is tough, but fair. I sit at my usual desk just beside Felix. My friend gives me an amused look.

"Close call there, dude." he whispers. I shrug in response.

"I live dangerously, man." He chuckles. We know better than keep talking during one of Mr. B's lectures and so we just shut up.

The rest of the morning is utterly boring. People keep whispering anytime they think I'm not close enough to hear. This bunch of fuckers has no idea how sharp my senses are lately. Too bad for them. At lunch break I'm back at the cafeteria with Felix and Kim. I sit at one of the tables with them and we start chatting until I spot Bonnie and Tara making their ways in the crowd. I wave to them and they see me as well. They share a look and a nod to each other before coming our way. Tara walks faster and reached us first.

"Hey guys. Mind if we sit here?" She asks with her melodious voice.

"Sure thing." I answer her and she smiles.

"Thanks." Kim moves a little farther to let her sit. Meanwhile Bonnie reached us as well. I turn to look at her. We stare at each other for a good five seconds. The chattering quiets down as if the crowd is sensing something coming.

"Loser." She greets me with her favorite pet name for me. On cue the whole cafeteria gasps. Kim growls. Tara arches an eyebrow. More than a few are ready to witness some blood and mayhem. Perhaps a rehearsal of yesterday's show.

"Bitch." I answer with a nod of the head without losing my cool. She smirks in return before sitting down.

The audience is dumfounded while Kim and Felix are exchanging inquisitive glances.

"Good to see you too, Stoppable. Oh Kim. Didn't see you there. Renton." Felix simply nods in her direction.

Kim is looking at me as if asking 'What was that?'. I simply shrug and resume eating. She decides to question our beloved Queen directly.

"So… What brings you here, Bonnie? Not that your presence isn't appreciated. Just wondering." Her tone of voice states exactly the opposite, though. Bonnie turns to look at Kimberly with pure contempt in her eyes. Like she's staring at some kind of bug or something on that line. Yep. Her usual attitude.

"Duh, K. Obviously I'm here for lunch. What else could you want from the cafeteria?" Kim's eye twitches in response to Bonnie sarcastic response. I guess it takes a big deal of self-control not to stand up and snap her neck.

"I mean at our table, B. There is so much space there at the Football team's table. Why don't you join your boyfriend Brick over there?"

"Oh? I guess the news didn't reach you yet. Not a surprise since our wonder-boy here seems to capitalize the whole gossip mill. Brick and I broke up." The news is taken by the listening crowd with different reactions. A few are already whispering that I had some kind of involvement in the matter. Great. More rumors on my supposedly heated love life. Kim on the other hand seems to regret her choice of words.

"Uh… I didn't know. I'm sorry to hear that." Her previous attitude is lost in her new sense of guilt. Surprisingly Bonnie overlooks the chance to twist the knife in the wound by simply swatting down the whole discussion.

"Not a big deal. We never had too much in common except our standing in the food chain. With him graduating this year I called it quit. It's better for the both of us. No hard feelings." That sounds so mature and yet so typically Bonnie-ish.

"I see. Anyway, why did you decide to eat with us?" She resumes the previous topic.

"Ehm… That would be because of me. I wanted to eat with R… you guys and I asked her to come with me. I hope it doesn't bother you. I didn't think to ask beforehand." Tara answer Kim's question, shifting the focus from Bonnie to her. Her slip up doesn't go unnoticed, though. Felix smirks in my direction with a thumb up. Tara blushes in embarrassment at that.

"Oh. No, that's not a problem at all, Tara. Right, Ron?" I look at her arching my left eyebrow. I'm half tempted to point out the fact that I didn't have a problem from the very beginning, but I can recognize a request for help when I hear one.

"Of course. We live in a free country after all. Feel free to join us for lunch whenever you feel like it."

"Geez. Thanks Loser. As If I needed your permission to eat anywhere I wanted." Bonnie wouldn't be herself if she just let things be. Well at least someone isn't scared to speak her mind around me. Perhaps noticing my smile, Kim doesn't retort Bonnie name calling.

"You are quite welcome, Bon-Bon."

The rest of the lunch break is uneventful and the girls simply switch to talk about the incoming cheer practice while Felix and I discuss the topic of the next installment of our favorite game. It's good to have a relaxing lunch among friends. Way too soon the bell reminds us that we have other duties to attend and we all go our separate ways.

Just like yesterday I'm 'alone' in front of my locker moving things from my backpack into it and vice versa. As I close it and turn around I almost bump into a massive shape standing right behind me. Holy shit.

"Uh. Flagg!" The Senior Football player is looking down at me in the literal sense of the word. "Can I help you with something, Brick?" The guy is tense and his eyes are darting around.

"Uhh… Can I have a word with you, Stops? In private?" The curiosity triggered by Brick unusual shyness is enough to convince me to do something I wouldn't usually do: following a guy three time your size away from potential witnesses. We both slip into an empty classroom not too far away. When he closes the door behind us I'm tempted to shift in combat position, but nothing in his behavior hints to a threat for me. As surprising as it is I guess the big guy just wants to talk.

"So? What did you want to talk about?" I'd like to cross me arms on my chest, but guess what? I can't!

"Uuh… Listen Stops… I'm exactly good at this stuff… It's about the Prom." I was not expecting that. In fact I was almost sure this was about Bonnie. You know, that 'no hard feeling' thing of her could be completely one-sided as far as I knew.

"Yes? What of it?" I try to push Brick to open up and say whatever he needs to say.

"I just wanted to say… Well. I'm sorry." I blink a couple of time.

"Sorry… about what? I'm not following you, Brick."

"What you said back then. About us not deserving your help. And that guy, Eric, he said the same thing… so I have been thinking… I used to give you a hard time. You know, about all that being manly crap." The guy seems sincerely apologetic. Life's full of surprises.

"I'm not sure you need to apologize for anything, Brick. I used to believe that such crap was important from time to time too." I try to make him relax. He might not have been the nicest guy around, but he didn't get out of his way to make fun of me either. "And besides I've never got a problem with you, so don't sweat it."

"I know… It's just that I spoke with Bonnie after that night." Ah-ah. So she IS involved somehow. "She just had this huge quarrel with Tara over you."

"O-over me? Why would they fight over me?" This doesn't make any sense.

"Yeah. Turns out that Tara lashed out on Bonnie about the way she treated you before… well before you died. I guess she was just grieving but as far as Bonnie told me some they have exchanged some pretty hurtful words."

"That doesn't come as a surprise on Bonnie's part." I try to remember him who we are talking about. He laughs a bitter laughter.

"Don't I know it? But it doesn't apply to Tara. Bonnie always treated her with kid gloves. They have been friend for ages. I guess that Bonnie was just trying to comfort her or something… She said that she shouldn't miss a 'loser' like you. Boy that was the wrong thing to say. Hell broke loose according to Bonnie. I don't know exactly what happened after that. They didn't speak to each other for a few days. It's only after we found out that you where alive that those two rebuilt the bridges. I don't know what happened or what they said. Bonnie and I broke up a couple of weeks after the Prom."

Well that sucks. The fight between Bonnie and Tara I mean. If I recall Bonnie stunt for her that night I can pretty much imagine how much she values her friendship. Still I have no idea where this discussion is going.

"I see. I still don't get how this reflects on the both of us, though."

"Yes well… What she told me got me thinking." Brick says. "Whatever Tara said her it really stung. She actually told me that she wouldn't make the same mistake again. That she wouldn't look down on others just because they don't fit her idea of good and bad. Unbelievable isn't it?"

"Ok. Hold on." I raise my hand. "Are you sure that we are talking about the same person? Bonnie Rockwaller? Middleton High Queen Bitch?" I ask him. He simply nods in affirmation before continuing.

"The one and only. Look even I was surprised when she told me, but it got me thinking. Bonnie is becoming a better person. But what about me? When things got dangerous it wasn't the Football team to solve the situation. Not the Jocks, not the cheerleaders. It was you and… well, for someone like me who used to think that only muscle mattered it was a big shock. The things I thought important didn't amount to anything in the end. So.. what I want to say is… Sorry and thanks." Fuck. The big oaf has a strange way with words but he can get the message thru.

"You are welcome Brick. And don't feel sorry for me. I could have stood up for myself anytime." I explain him.

"But you didn't." Right to the point.

"Yep. And that's why I'm partially to blame. If you let people walk all over you, then you can't exactly complain if they mistake you for doormat, can you?"

"Eh. I guess not." The bell rings, reminding us of our others duties.

"Come on, Brick. Let's go." He nods and walks out.

"I was just thinking Stops… do you have anything to do Friday night? We usually hang at the old diner on the way to the lake. If you don't have anything better to do, feel free to drop by." His invite his almost surprising as his previous speech. If he was anyone else I would think that he's trying to slip into my 'spotlight' but the big guy just isn't that type of person. He's genuinely reaching out for me.

"… Why not? I think that I can do that. I'll see you Friday then. Later, Brick." He salutes me raising his arm. We take different ways as we head to the next class. As I walk there I can't help but feel good. A lot of things are changing around me, and surprisingly enough not all of them are for the worst.

Maybe, just maybe, something good will come out of this huge mess that is my life right now.

* * *

Author note:

Well. This one was almost complete since last week but the hols got in the way. Worry not. I'm back at full power. I should have next chapter out around Friday/Saturday while tomorrow I'll try to update my other story: 'Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass".

See ya.


	44. Press

**Press**

* * *

Leaving the school behind me I make my way to the auditorium where the press conference is going to be held, travelling in a safe car provided by GJ.

"Are you sure it's a good idea, Ron?" Kim asks me. "They are going to dig on our relationship even without me tagging along. Isn't it like taunting them?"

"Sure, but I've learned something from Betty. Denying their allegation won't stop them from writing whatever they want about us. As long as they don't slander us we can't really stop them from doing so. We might as well show them some team unity. I think that it would quench most of their assumption on the nature of our 'argument' more than any statement ever could. It should send the most radical stories flying out of the window. Words are easy to distort and to place out of context. Facts speak louder."

"Make sense. Betty taught you well. You keep surprising me, Ron. I never thought that you could…well, be like this."

"Like…how?"

"Confident… I guess. But also daring and attentive. I always knew you had a great potential, but you are certainly exceeding my expectations." I smirk.

"Is that a good thing, Kim?" I can't keep some amusement from my voice. "Do you like the new Ron?"

"I… do but…. I liked the old Ron too." A warm feeling spreads in my chest at her words. I scoot closer to her and stretch my arm across her shoulder bringing her in a hug. Her eyes carefully avoiding mine.

"Thanks, Kim." I whisper in her hear. She doesn't answer but simply nods in my chest.

"I'm a little scared, Ron." Her voice is somewhat muffled in my embrace.

"Hm? For the press conference?" I ask. She should be used to deal with the 'show people'.

"No. I'm scared for you. You are changing so much. Improving. Growing. I'm afraid that you are… I don't know…. Just going to disappear from my life. One say I'm going to turn around and you are not going to be there anymore. I'm being selfish I know. I have no right to tamper your growth, not after I prompted you do embrace your potential." I hear her sniff in my chest. I sigh in response.

"I know what you mean. I had the same feeling when you told me to grow up that day in the tree house." Her body stiffens at the mention of that particular moment. "I can't promise you that I won't change in a way that you can completely approve, but I respect and care for you too much to become somebody that will simply leave you behind. I promise you Kim. I'll be there for you as long as you want me to be."

Finally reassured by my words she slides her arm around my torso, reciprocating my hug.

"Thanks. And sorry. This isn't like me at all. I've never realized how frail I am by myself until I thought I've lost you."

"You are not frailer that anybody else Kim. It's just that you never had to face this side of yourself before, so you aren't used to deal with it. I'm the exact opposite. Never had to deal with my strength, if it wasn't for Betty guidance in the past two weeks I wouldn't know where to go." I let her slip out of my arms. "See? None of us is perfect and we all have to rely on someone else at some point. As long as we don't become dependent on those persons it's ok."

"Dependent as the two of us was on each other?" I frown a little. She's right.

"Yeah. Just like that. We need to learn to stand on our own, but that doesn't mean that we can count on each other in time of need, right?"

"Right. Thanks, Ron." She squeezes my hand.

The car is slowing down as we are reaching our destination. The crowd gathered there is impressive and it's not only the media. Hundreds of peoples are waiting trying to get a glimpse of us. Thank God the parking is underground and the access is restricted to authorized personnel only. At least getting in out shouldn't be too much of a problem.

The car stops in one of the parking spots near the door to the stairs. Kim and I slip out of the car where a couple of GJ agents in a standard 'Agent Smith' outfit are waiting for us.

"Mr. Stoppable, Miss Possible. This way, please." One of the agents leads the way while the other stands guard near the car. No such thing as too much security these days, uh? Well, I won't complain for once.

"Ron. You're here." Betty is walking in my direction. "Miss Possible. It's good to see you."

"Good evening Dr. Director." There is some kind of tension between these two. I have no idea of the reason but I have this nagging suspicion that I'm involved. Lucky me.

"I suppose that her presence here means that you have chosen the 'teamwork approach'. I can't say I disagree." Betty says. We discussed a lot about Kim involvement in my cooperation with GJ. Although I prefer not to drag her in this mess I won't choose for her. "Well then, are you both ready?"

"I'm ready. Ron?" Kim asks me.

"I' m not going to be any more ready than this. Let's get this over with."

Betty leads us to the next room. As soon as we step inside the noise die down and we are overwhelmed by the lights and flashes. If this was any other place we would be drowning in questions, but since it's an official press conference things are a little more… quiet?

The three of us sit behind a table with a few bottles of tapped water and the microphones on it.

With a nod of her head Betty allows me to speak.

"Good evening. Thank you all for coming here tonight. I know that there are a lot of questions you are dying to ask me right now, but please let me clarify a few things beforehand. These past couple of weeks have been a new experience to me. Even though I've been out of reach for quite some time I watched and listened to what was happening around the world. The aftermath of that night has left any of us with something less than before. Many have lost a loved one, many have lost their houses. I've been called may thing since then. Hero, martyr, paladin. Those are a few that comes to mind. They are rubbish. I am no hero. That night I was just a regular guy that happened to be at the right place at the right time. I did what I felt was needed to be done. I take no pride in that and I'm sure that it's what any other decent person would have done in the same circumstances." A round of applauses prevents me to speak any further and allows me to pause and to measure the following words. "Thank you. As I was saying after that night more than a few allegations have been made for the reason for my presence alone at Bueno Nacho HQ. I believe it's time to clarify a few things. First and foremost it's true that Kimberly and I had an argument that night, and I'm really sorry to break the news that it wasn't nothing that should have made the first page of any self respecting newspaper. It was the apex of many unaddressed issues that has been successfully exploited by Dr. Lipsky to break our teamwork. Despite what many of you have published there was nothing beyond common teenage problems to unravel. No alien conspiracy, no secret abortion, no cheating of sort. On that account I need to clarify that Kimberly and I have never been more than friends. This is everything I have to say on this matter although we are available for any question you feel like asking. Thank you very much."

I don't have time to sit back that we are flooded by questions from every direction.

"Whoa. Whoa! One question at a time. The polite lady who's raising her hand back there for instance." The room quieted and the blonde woman stands to ask her question.

"About your relationship with Miss Possible, if I might ask. You said that your relationship with her never went beyond friendship, yet I have plenty of sources stating that you were dating her the night of Middleton Festival. I also have pictures with the two of you that night. Care to explain that?"

Oh. I didn't think that someone noticed us that night. Well Kim went around throwing stuff at me because of the Moodulator so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

"I think I can answer that." Kim replies before I have a chance. "That night I was under the influence of a highly unethical piece of technology that was affection my emotions and my ability to think. Under its influence I've practically forced Ronald to take me to the festival, where he proceeded to dump me in the most gentle way he could. It was only later that he discovered that I wasn't in control of my action and I am grateful that he didn't take advantage of my condition. In that instance he proved to be the best friend I could ask for." Seemingly satisfied with that answer the woman sits down but there are already plenty of hands raised.

"Yes? The woman in the black tailleur."

"Thank you. Despite your relationship not moving beyond friendship many of your schoolmates can swear that you harbored a crush on Miss Possible. Is there any truth in those statements?" I chuckle at her question, which leaves the audience surprised and curious.

"Excuse me Miss. I didn't catch your name."

"Summer Lane. Middleton Inquirer." She responds.

"Very well, Miss Lane. Let me get this straight. Are you asking me, a healthy male teenager, if by any chance I feel any sort of attraction to a successful, popular and good looking young woman of my same age who spends most of her free time around me? Did I get that right? Thought so. Now, do you still need me to answer that question?"

"Point taken Mister Stoppable." She sits back smiling while the audience laughs at the situation. Even Kim is smiling despite the obvious blush on her cheeks.

A few other innocent questions on my relationship with Kim are answered with ease either by Kim or myself, until finally a know face is allowed to speak.

"Michael Turner. Celebrity Third Degree. Basically, Mister Stoppable, you are telling us that despite your closeness with Miss Possibile your relationship never moved beyond simple friendship. I find pretty hard to believe that two unsupervised teenagers travelling around the world never overstepped the boundaries. Certainly there is more than you can tell us."

"Actually, Mr. Turner, there is not. I can say that there have been more than a few awkward moments between us, but I never had the chance, not the intention mind you, to explore our relationship deeper than that. As a matter of fact we believe that it's better not to date each other for the time being. After almost twelve years we realized that we took too many things for granted and that ultimately lead to the events of the Prom night. You can write that down if you wish. We are not dating and we don't plan to for the foreseeable future."

My answer seem to satisfy him for the time being. Michael Turner is a difficult customer according to Betty. He won't let his target go until he uncover some dirt or manages to make it up in a way that keeps him out of legal troubles.

"Mr. Stoppable, what is your opinion about the way Global Justice dealt with the Diablo Invasion? For that matter what do you think about Global Justice in general?" Right this is the point where I need to stand up for GJ.

"There are plenty of things I can say for GJ behavior over the years. In a nutshell they always arrive when things have already been taken care of. The point is… Can I blame them of it? I think not. Global Justice is running on an extremely low budget and it's hindered at every step and turn by bureaucracy. The number of documents that they have to get through just to have an hoverjet flying is humongous. It's not surprising that they had to rely to someone unbound by strict procedures at least to slow down the bad guys. That's why I'm working with them right now. With an improved intelligence gathering and less bureaucracy we might actually turn GJ in what it's supposed to be: a joint force under the UN control with the purpose of preventing, not stopping, preventing things like the Diablos Invasion."

"Are you going to formally join Global Justice once you graduate?"

"I honestly hope that by the time I end my studies, Global Justice will have reached a point where I'm no longer needed. I don't plan to make a career out of this. I believe I've already given enough for the safety of the world."

"Are you quitting with the Hero business?"

"No way. I'm working to realize a world where heroes are no longer needed, where our safety is granted by professionals, trained in the field and not by amateurs, despite their obvious skills. I think it's high time that our taxes are spent in an appropriate manner and not wasted to prevent Global Justice to act instead of fueling it to work for us."

The rest of the conference goes smoothly with only a few questions on my personal life and my intentions for college, which I answer truthfully with a simple 'No idea.' The whole thing took only a little more than one hour and just as fast as we got there we are leaving.

On our way out Betty intercepts us. I motion Kim to go ahead without me.

"Ron. I just wanted to update you. The talk with your guest went smoothly. We have a great deal of information to work with. Even if Drakken doesn't spill the beans we can cripple most of WEE by the end of the summer. There are a few thing that worries me though. If I can confirm some of the data we have someone in the US government actively working against us. Someone high enough to be in the 'Club'."

I freeze at that. The 'Club' is the inner circle in the US government that's suerpvising the American branch of GJ. If someone from WEE is in there… I can't even think about that.

"That bad?" I ask. She nods.

"Yes. We still don't know who's this person, but we need to find out fast. We can't allow…"

"I know." I cut her. "We need to keep things compartmentalized. You think that your top agent can do the tracking?"

"Will? Why in the world would you want Will to investigate on that? He's good but he's such a loudmouth… Oh. A decoy. Nice thinking Ron."

"I'm devious, I know." I smirk. "Feed him some of the info, but not enough to bring him on the right track. Meanwhile we'd better ask someone else to work on the data we gathered. I was thinking of a third party. Someone we can trust."

"Are you talking about Wade? I don't think that's a good idea. His systems are still fried and I'm sure that they will be on the lookout for any breach attempt on his part."

"You're right, but I wasn't talking about him. I have another person in mind with both the skill and the tools to pull it off." This seems to spike her curiosity.

"Who are you talking about, Ron?" Once more I smirk at her.

"Now, now Betty. The less we talk about the less we risk this person to be found out. Just give me one of those nice cell phones and I'll make her contact you." At the mention of the gender her minds put the pieces together, then she smiles back.

"Very well, Ron. When are you going to meet her?" she asks.

"Tonight. I need to drop by at the hospital and retrieve her newest 'gift'. I'm sure that she will be more than happy the help us."

"Really? Last time she slapped you as soon as she saw you." She teases me.

"Hm. I deserved that. But we are good friends despite that little incident. She even lent me her badical bike after all. Sweet ride that one."

"Indeed. Very well then, I'll leave you to your plots while I deal with mines. Keep your eyes open out there, Ron."

"Will do, Betty. I'll get in touch as soon as I have something good to report. Later."

I catch up with Kim, whom was still waiting for me at the top of the stairs to the underground parking.

"Everything ok, Ron? What was that all about?"

"Oh? Nothing big. Just a little exchange of ideas. Hey, I'm going to the hospital for a few tests. Do you want to come with me or should we drive you home?"

"Hmm I still have some assignments to finish, so if it's not too much trouble…" She trails off.

"No trouble at all, Kimbo. Let's go. Oh, by the way, I'm going to visit Wade tomorrow, I'd like you to come with me if that's ok."

"Oh? Sure. I haven't heard from him since… well since the Prom night."

"Good, than we can drop by after school."

Meanwhile we boarded the car and took off towards Kim s' house. I still have a couple of things to do tonight and I can't wait to get my hand on Vivian s' newest toy.

* * *

Author Note:

Finally! Almost a month from the last update. Shame on me, but this chapter was a mood killer. Dunno why. Anyway here it is. To make up for the long time I'm uploading the next two chapter along with this one. A couple of short interludes to build up the story for the future.

See ya.


	45. Interlude  Senator

Interlude – Senator

* * *

Damn. It's already 9 p.m. Mark is going to kill me. We were supposed to eat outside tonight for our anniversary. I'm never going to make it in time. That's what you get for being the secretary of a senator. Lousy working hours. At least the money it's good.

Sigh. If I finish this quick, maybe I'm still going to make it. Where the hell did I put that folder. Oh here it is. Ronald Dean Stoppable, hm? Hero or not you gave me a lot of work tonight.

I pick the few documents that are still missing from the folder and place them inside in the proper order. Organization is the first thing you need in this line of job. Birth certificate, school records from kindergarten to high school. Yep, everything's here. Why the hell does he needs this stuff anyway? Why do I even care? Let's finish this quickly, shall we?

Standing up from my desk with the now complete folder in my hands I make my way toward the Senator s' office. I knock gently on the wooden surface.

"Come in, Janice." The deep voice calls from the other side of the door. I enter quickly and close the door behind me. I swear, if I wasn't deeply in love with my fiancée I wouldn't mind trying to seduce this man. Barely thirty-five years hold, blond hairs neatly combed, deep blue eyes and a charismatic character. If this man isn't going to become President in the future I don't know who will.

"I have the papers you required here, Senator." I place the folder on his desk and take a step back, under his piercing gaze.

"Janice, what did I tell you about calling me Senator after the regular working hours? You make me feel old." He asks with fake annoyance in his voice. I giggle. Giggle? What am I? An high schooler?

"Sorry about that, sir. Old habits die hard."

"I'll let you slide, this time." He opens the folder and starts browsing through the documents. His eye narrowing in concentration as he moves from one page to another. After a couple of minutes he looks back at me. "Is this everything you found about Mr. Stoppable?"

"Yes, sir." I confirm. "With the sole exception of his involvement with Ms. Possible escapades there is nothing remarkable about him before the Diablo invasion. A below average student with nothing of notice in his private life. A nobody on all accounts."

"I see. Yet this 'nobody' saved the world when nobody else could. How is that possible, Janice?" I shrug.

"According to him, he simply found himself at the right place and time, just like he said on TV." He seems to ponder my statement.

"Maybe. Or maybe there is more about him than meets the eye. Do me a favor Janice, keep an eye out for any juicy information you might find about this guy, ok?"

"Sure thing, sir." I reply. Then almost without thinking glance at the clock on the wall behind him. Her notice this and follows my eye to the clock. Busted.

"Oh. Where did time go? Sorry for keeping you here so late, Janice. You can go, now. It's yours and Mark anniversary today, right?" I nod, grateful that he doesn't mind my eagerness to leave. "Go then and have fun, all right? Tell you what, take the morning off tomorrow. Enjoy the night with your fiancée, you deserve it."

"Thank you, sir. I'll be on my way then." I reach for the door and before slipping outside I turn back to look at him again. "Goodnight then, Senator."

"Janice!" Damn I said it again. I escape outside of the room, quickly correcting my mistake.

"Oops. Goodnight, Mr. Loward."

* * *

Author notes:

And there goes another interlude. The players are getting into the game. Not really much to say about this one although you might guess a few things already.

See ya.


	46. Interlude  Monkey

Interlude – Monkey

* * *

Damn him. It was all going so smoothly.

How can it be that the Lotus Blade recognized him as its master? I'm am the rightful Monkey King. The Blade belongs to me. The Mystical Monkey Power is mine.

This won't do. Won't do at all. I need to keep calm. Stoppable might have access to a fraction of the Power but I'm the true wielder. As soon as I dispose of the insignificant mongrel the rest of the Power will naturally flow into me.

But how to proceed? How to proceed, indeed. It's too risky to simply assault him in his natural environment. His house and school are certainly being watched. I can't simply show up there and uncork his head now, can I? As much as I'd like that, I need him alone, isolated, away from prying eyes.

Yes. Of course. He will seek guidance. With the Blade now in his hands he will search for a way to wiled it properly. And there is only one place where he can hope to find it. Yamanouchi.

Well that doesn't improve my situation much, does it? A school filled with trained ninja is NOT a good place to start a fight. I can't pick on all of them without the full Power.

I need a distraction. Someone to keep their eyes away from their Chosen One. That might be a tad difficult tough. My inside man is no longer inside. That Fukushima idiot is useless. Or maybe not. There is always a big demand for cannon fodder. Yes, he will prove himself useful by dying if needed.

Oh. I can see it already. I need to find an ally. Someone who loathes Yamanouchi as much as I do.

I will bring war to their doors. I will burn their houses and bathe in their blood, just before giving that little bug what he deserves for his arrogance. The fool won't know what hit him. Then again maybe he will. I'll make sure to let him know who is the harbinger of his downfall.

I just know who I need to speak with. Information, first and foremost.

"Bates!" I call for my faithful servant.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Arrange for a trip to Japan, Bates. I need to know the enemies of my enemies to win this time, and there is no better way than meeting them in person."

"Right away, my Lord."

He carries on the assigned task as I resume my planning. I need to research. Yamanouchi is ancient and has withstood the changes of time fairly well. Nothing but a well conceived plan will bring it to its knees.

They must have enemies. Lots of them. I need to find out who they are and how can I bring them to work together against the Old Fool. It won't be easy but it must be done. It's my fate, my destiny and my purpose. I shall not fail. I will take what's mine and I will bring the world to its knees under the rule of the Monkey King.

"Ah! Ah! AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Author notes:

Yup the megalomaniac is back. I can tell you already that Ron s' trip to Japan isn't going to be a joyride.

A few more chapter and this arc should be over.

* * *

See ya.


	47. Arm

**Chapter 28 – Arm**

* * *

Here we are. The only place I've ever feared more camp Wannaweep. In this place lurks an evil beyond human comprehension. It approaches you with sweet smiles and soft words before throwing you in a Hell of needles and probes. I've seen grown men cry and hide under their blankets at night, fearing the following day. This place is no hospital. It's the antechamber of Hell. Even now that I'm no longer a 'guest' here I feel a shiver down my spine as I walk its corridors. I'm sure I can hear the distraught scream of a patient somewhere, begging for mercy. Poor deluded soul, you won't find any mercy here.

"Ah Ron. Welcome." A familiar voice calls for my attention and I turn around to see a young nurse at the reception.

"Hi Emily. How are you doing?" I greet the only light of hope in this haunted place of suffering.

"Just fine, Ron. Are you here for your usual check up? I'll notify Doctor Stevenson of your arrival." The sole mention of her name sends a shiver down my spine. Somehow my fear is affecting my face as well because I see Emily smiling. "Oh. Come on, Ron. She is not that bad. She's simply… dedicated to her job."

"Yeah, if her job is torturing poor suffering souls to make them avoid any injury that might bring them back here then you are right. In my opinion she's simply an incarnation of evil that enjoys her patients' pain and screams." I look at her pale face and wide eyes. "And of course, she is right behind me."

"Hi, Ronald. It's good to see you again." Her sickly sweet voice greets me from behind my shoulders. I turn around slowly to look at her. Her evil smile would send Shego whimpering in a corner.

/I'm getting the Hell out of here. You deal with her./ Traitor!/

The Jester retreats in the deepest corner of our shared mind, hoping to avoid the session of induced pain that is scheduled for me today.

"Hi… Alice." My voice is a couple of octaves higher than normal reflecting my emotional state.

"Tell you what Ron, since you seem to appreciate my skills so much, I think that we should really be through with your examinations today. Now that I think about it, I'm sure that there are a couple of experimental probing devices that I still need to calibrate. I'm sure that you can help me out with that."

I can only drop my head on my chest in resignation. There is no escape from this monster's evil clutches. Any form of protest is pointless. I will walk to my end in dignified silence.

* * *

An hour later I make my way to the room where Vivian is supposed to be waiting for me. I get inside without knocking.

"Hey V! I'm here." The blond headed scientist turns around at the sound of my voice. Boy, isn't she gorgeous? How can she be so utterly brilliant and drop dead sexy at the same time is out of my understanding. No wonder it's difficult for her to find a job: she deprives men of their ability to think straight by simply existing. She walks in my direction wearing that white coat of hers, opened to reveal a tight blues shirt and matching miniskirt that's cutting my blood flow to the brain. It takes my complete focus not to stare at the wrong places.

She's now standing in front of me. Her scent is filling my nostrils and my mouth is watering in expectation.

*SLAP*

The palm of her hand meets my right cheek, coming from my blind spot. That was a low blow.

"Ouch! What the hell? What was that for?" She shrugs.

"For making me think that you were dead for almost a month." She replies.

"But… But…You slapped me already twice the day you found out that I was alive."

"Are you complaining? Do you have any idea of how I felt for three weeks, believing that I've sent you to your death? No, you don't! So shut the fuck up and take it like a man."

"Yes ma'am!" What the hell am I supposed to reply to that, uh? You tell me. /I'd just shut up and pray that she gets tired fast./

A couple of minutes later she has finally finished hurting me.

"Now that we made things clear, I want to show you this." She leads my mangled carcass to a table in the middle of the room. "What's with the funny walk?" She asks, watching me walking limply after Alice 'examinations'.

"Uh. You don't really wanna know. Trust me on that."

"If you say so." She replies with another shrug. "Come look at this."

On the table there is a fairly big box.

"What's that?" I ask sincerely curious. /Yeah, for what reason exactly did I have to be tortured like this? It's better be good./

"It's your new best friend." She answers with a gleam in her eyes. She then opens the box. It takes me a couple of seconds to understand what I'm looking at. Holy! Shit! When she said that she would look into my problem with a prosthetic arm I didn't think that she would deliver this fast. "Behold the latest product of my genius. The artificial arm G.P. mark I"

"Oh! This is so Badical, Vivian. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Wait what does G.P. stands for?"

"Uh? Oh, it's the acronym for Groping Pervert. Fitting uh?"

"… You are kidding me, right?" Please let her not be serious.

"Of course I am, Ronald. Do you honestly think that I would name something I've created with such a ridiculous name? It stands for Grappling Prosthesis. And let me tell you I've put some nice features in there."

"What do you mean? What does it do?"

"Well, like the name might tell you it has a grappling gun embedded in its wrist with an automatic reeling system that can pull up to 200 kilos. Cool, uh?"

"You can say so!" I reply enthusiastically. "What else?"

"Very well. Since I couldn't interface it with your neural system due to your unexpected 'guest' I programmed it with an artificial intelligence that translate the electrical impulse from your shoulder muscle in the correct motion for the arm, but since it's not linked to your brain it doesn't have any sense of touch. Furthermore you need to consider that since it's not fixated to your bone but it simply grabs your shoulder it's not fit for combat situations. It can resist pressure and tractions but consecutive blows would ultimately dislodge it from its proper place. You need to recharge and recalibrate it at least every week. Keep an eye to the battery level. If you use the grappling gun it's going to lose charge faster."

"Well I don't think I can complain for the downsides, can I? Go on."

"On the upside it has an embedded communication system with a heavy encryption module. Nothing short of the top military technology."

"What! Where the Hell did you find that stuff? You can't buy it on E-bay." I ask her.

"Oh. You don't wanna know it. Nor you need to."

"Uh. All right. What else?" She's now smiling broadly at me. "What?"

"Well the last function is the one you'd like the most, but it's better if you out this one before I tell you." She then starts fixing the GP on my shoulder. It takes almost ten minutes to calibrate it properly. "Come on, try it."

Standing on my feet I try to use my new arm. At first nothing happens, maybe because I'm expecting a feedback from it. Then I remember that she told me that I can't have that.

"Try not to think about it, Ron. You don't actually order your arm to do anything when you move it. You just do. Go ahead and try." Following her advice I move to grab a screwdriver she used to place my arm. Almost surprising me the arm follow the slight movement of my shoulder and snatch the tool from the table. It feels odd, like doing something after sleeping on your arm the whole night, minus the numb sensation. Anyway it's better than nothing and I'm grateful even for this much.

"Thanks, Vivian. This is… amazing. How could you make it this quickly?"

"Think nothing of it. Actually I didn't have that much works to do. Just some minor modification to an already existing arm. The AI is truly simple, but it was a bit of a rushed job. You might stumble on some minor glitches while you use it, like grabbing the wrong thing when two items are too close. Oh and it might be a little sluggish at first. I'll work on the patches as soon as I have some time. I might have a new release at the end of the summer if everything goes as planned."

"Oh, well that's great. You are the best, V!"

"Of course I am. Who else could come up with such a wonderful idea in such a short time? AH AH AH!" She mocks an evil laugher, but she just isn't good at it.

"Riiiight." I drawl while staring at her in amusement. "Anyway, what about that last function you mentioned?"

Her grin never leaves her face while she answer. "Follow me."

She leads me through the corridors to an elevator that takes us both to a private underground parking. When the sliding door opens and the light from the elevator floods the place my breath is taken away.

"O-O-O…. Olly?"

"Long time no see, User Stoppable." Answer the sleek black motorbike. The former mechanical voice is replaced by a smooth womanly tone that reminds me of Vivian. I turn my head to Vivian expectantly. She simply nods. Oh. My. God.

"Long time indeed, Olly. Vivian are you telling me…?" She simply nods in response.

I straddle the bike and place my arms on the handlebar. As soon as my artificial hand touches it an electric jolt goes through my shoulder.

"The AI installed in your arm contains an application that interfaces it to Olly's systems. As long as you have it on you it monitors your vital functions and allows Olly to track you and come to you whenever you want. Plus it recharges the battery as long as you are keeping it on the handlebar."

"This is… this is…" Words fail me. There is just so much I can express with them, and all this goes over and beyond them.

"It's ok, Ron. You gave a lot for everyone. It's just a small thing in exchange for that. Don't worry about it."

In all honesty I understand her words and I can accept the feeling behind it to a degree, but not enough to hold back a few tears. Despite her assurance, despite her genius I know that coming up with an arm like this and integrating it with Olly AI is not a quick thing. Those little bags under her eyes are proof of her lack of sleep. Damn it.

"No, it's not. Vivian, while it might be a small thing for what I've done for the world it's not a small thing to you. I'm not blind, you know? I can see that you've slept very little to deliver this in less than two weeks. Don't underestimate me; I'm not the oblivious fool I used to be."

A moment of lingering silence while se processes my words.

"…Thank you?" She says. The tension built up between us crumbles under the sound of my laugher.

"Whatever are you thanking me for? I'm the one being thankful here, V." She seems somewhat reluctant, like she wants to say something, but she really doesn't know how to express it. Then she shakes her head a little as to disperse the thought.

"Right. Anyway, why don't you take Olly for a ride?" she asks without really answering my question. I decide not to probe the subject any further.

"Love to. Can't. I came here with an escort for GJ. I can't just leave like that without notifying my bodyguard first. Besides I still have to speak with you about a little favor I need from you. This is a good place away from prying ears to talk."

"Oh?" I must have picked her curiosity. "What is the secrecy all about?"

I relay the story I heard from Betty and my request for her to investigate the clues we've got from Drakken.

"I'd ask Wade, but the little guy is not yet back online and he would be the obvious choice. Team Possible is under the watchful stares to operate without being spotted. I need someone unrelated, skilled and trusted. Honestly I can't think about anyone else but you V."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Ron. All right, I'll do it. Just so you know my field of competence is AI development not hacking. I'd still need some pointers from Wade. Can you get me in touch with him through a secure channel? I can't just drop by his house and ask him nor simply call him if you think he's watched."

"True. I had Betty prepare some more of these cell phones. They have a common encryption key that only I and Betty know. We can't get higher security when it comes to wireless communications. The key is too complex to hack in any useful manner. It can be done if you have enough time and resources but I hardly believe anyone will even try to since nobody knows about it at all. Don't use it except to contact Wade and Betty and it should be fine." I give her the cell Betty gave me.

"Nice. I'll call Wade tomorrow. Now, why don't you talk with your babysitter and ride Olly back home?"

I follow her advice and, after a few pointers on how to use my arm and the proper maintenance procedures, I'm riding Olly on the way home.

* * *

To my delight I discover that most of the press is happy with what I gave them during the conference and they are mostly gone. Only a few are lingering nearby, probably paparazzi or something like that. As if I would do anything of relevance when they are looking. Then again this proves that dating is not a good idea until the whole mess winds down. I'm quite sure that when Shego involvement with the investigation is revealed I will be forgotten or at least become old news.

I park Olly inside the empty garage.

"Will this be fine, Olly?"

"Yes it is, User Stoppable. Although I would recommend the installation of an automatic gate for the garage, should you need to call me to you or if you wanted me to drive back here without you. I can burst through the gate in case of emergency, but it doesn't sound like a good standard procedure."

"No, it doesn't. I'll see what I can do about it. I can ask Dad if I can have it installed while they are abroad. Thanks for the idea, Olly. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good evening, User Stoppable."

I leave the Badical Bike behind and enter inside the house. Hm? No lights? No sounds? I doubt that Shego left the house in…. Whoa! What?

A pair of hands snatches me and slams me against the wall.

"Shego, what the Hell?"

"Peppermint?"

Uh oh.

"Aw. Come on. It's cute. And besides you can't still hold a grudge about it from this morning, can you?"

"Uh-uh. I'm a woman and we are all about grudges. Come, let me show you." Her malicious grin is a promise of pain and she does keep promises. Too bad I won't take any of it.

"Oh really?" Using both /Yay!/ my hands I slam hers apart forcing her to release me. She staggers back, surprised by my move. She didn't expect that. "Bring!"

She smiles and leaps at me. We exchange blows but our fight is not really heated. She's not really angry, she's just playing.

"Nice upgrade there, Ron." She comments between blows.

"Cool, uh? Too bad it's not a combat model."

"How so?"

We trade more blows as I explain in general terms why I can't have a 'common' prosthesis.

"Well that sucks."

"Nah. It's not that bad. A little awkward, I'll admit it, but not too bad. Dinner? We can continue our little match later." I propose her.

"You're on! Let's get to it."

* * *

We arrange a quick meal for two. Well two and an half since Rufus decided to come out of his hibernation as soon as the food was on the table. Smart rodent. He's all about eating and sleeping.

"Rufus? Shego and I are going to have a little sparring match upstairs. Will you join us?"

"Nuh-uh. Play Fortress."

"There is that too. All right. Come on Shego let's do it." We climb upstairs and I drop Rufus in my room, where he proceeds to log-in in his favorite game. Shego and I continue to the attic turned guest room. Once there is remove my shirt and drop into a fighting stance, favoring my right arm of course. Shego looks at me with amusement. I never was one to be eager for a fight, but now….

"All right, Stoppable. Being comfortable is one thing but I don't need to see you naked to spar with you. I hope you don't expect me to do the same." She teases me. I shrug.

"Feel free. I don't mind at all. Sure I might be a little distracted if you do that but otherwise…." I trail off. I like this playful exchange we established.

"Yeah, right. Wouldn't you like that?" She rolls her eyes. "Fine, let's just bring it." I don't need another invitation and I close the distance between us without giving her time to get her guard on. Surprised by my sudden attack she rolls away, trying to get some breath and get in the flow of the battle.

"Damn. Ugh!" She parries a kick with her forearm. "You like.. .Argh." Jumps over a low kick. "Playing dirty.." She finally manages to push me back.

"I've learned from the best." I reply with a smirk.

"Damn right you are."

We resume our spar and I have some difficulties not to let the Jester take over. Shego looks still somewhat tired form this morning. Her 'surge' must affect her body greatly. She's not as fast as usual and I can almost take her without using the Power of cowardice. Considering my skills that's says a lot.

Far too soon she's out of breath and she practically drops on the couch.

"You shouldn't strain yourself like that Shego."

"This *anf* is nothing. *Anf* Give me just…*anf* a minute."

"Yeah, right. You are in no condition to fight any longer. Let's call it quit for tonight."

"I don't need you to babysit me." She replies with a hint of anger.

"Then don't make me. I'm supposed to be the little boy here. Not you." Seeing reason she bites her lips to suffocate her answer.

"… Fine."

"Good girl. Now, take a shower and go to sleep. If you feel better tomorrow we are going to continue."

"All right…. MOM!" she stalks off to the bathroom. That went well. Ah well I can still practice a little in the Art while I wait for her to finish her shower.

* * *

It takes a while for her to finish. I suppose that's a common thing for women. Kim is like that as well. Meanwhile I had a good hour to invest in my training. I'm improving steadily but something about my technique is off. I can't out my finger on it. Whatever, I'm sure Sensei will be able to help me this summer.

"Ron? I've finished with the shower." She walks in the living room wearing a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her skin is still glistening from the moisture. I look at her through a half lidded eyes, but she's nobody's fool. She notices it immediately. She doesn't seem to mind though.

"Very well. I'll take I shower too before going to bed. I'm wasted. Hopefully I will be able the sleep the whole night for a change."

"Uhm. I'm going to sleep as well. You are right; I'm still a little dizzy from this morning. Goodnight Ron."

"'Night Shego." I climb upstairs and into the bathroom. The shower is a quick affair as I didn't sweat much sparring with the green skinned woman. It takes no more than fifteen minutes to dry shower and dry myself, but when I'm finished the house is completely silent. Shego must have gone to bed as she said she would. That's good.

Following her example I enter my room where I find Rufus sleeping soundly in his box. Let's hope that I'll be lucky as he is tonight.

* * *

*RIING*

…..

*RIING*

Obviously being lucky isn't my forte. Who the hell is calling at…Three in the morning? What the hell? I get up and walk to the phone in the living room. If whoever is calling doesn't have a good reason to wake me up at this ungodly hour I'm going to rip they heads off.

"Hello?" I answer snappishly.

"Ronald? It's Anne." Oh fuck. What the Hell happened.

"Uh.. Anne? Is something the matter?"

"Ronald, I'm sorry to call you this late but…. Could you please come over to our house? Kim… She needs your help. Could you please?" Kim needing my help this late at night?

"Uh… Sure. Say no more. I'll be over there shortly. Just give me a few minutes to get dressed."

"Thanks Ron. You are a life saver. I'll see you later."

"Later, Anne." I hung up the phone. And turn to around to reach my room, only to find Shego looking at me.

"Ron? Something happened? Is there any trouble?" She asks with a sleepy tone.

"No, don't worry. I'm just heading over to Kim." I answer.

"At this hour? Couldn't it wait until tomorrow? What's this is all about?"

"Uh. I don't know really. Didn't think to ask. I'm used to just run when Kim needs me, so…"

"I see. When the Princess is in danger her knight simply run at her rescue. Well then what are you waiting for?"

"Right. I'll be back as soon as I can." She spins and returns to her room. That was awkward. I thought that she would have been angry or something to be woken up at night because of Kim, but… Oh whatever. Let's move. I don't know what this is all about but Anne wouldn't call me this late at night if it wasn't important. Wait for me Kim. I'm coming.

* * *

Author Notes:

There goes another chapter. Vivian is back in the story along with Olly the Badical Bike. A few more chapters before this arc is over. And it's going to be action filled to make up for this one.

See ya.


	48. Interlude  Red  Sleepless

**Interlude Red – Sleepless**

* * *

"AAAHH! NOOOOO!"

Waking up to the sound of your daughter screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night is not a good thing. Years of training as a doctor kicks in and my mind wipes the fog of sleep in an instant. James isn't as lucky.

"Ung! Whaz thaz?" He mumbles half alarmed, half asleep.

"It's Kim." Without waiting for him I get up and rush up to her room. Behind the hatch my daughter is sitting on her bed, face hidden in her hands, sobbing quietly. "Kimmie…."

Hearing my voice she looks at me. Her eyes are red and filled with tears.

"Mom…" I don't need to ask. She's having the nightmares again. "I keep seeing him, Mom. Every time I close my eyes he's there. Bleeding on the floor. And then there's Eric laughing, mocking him. I.. I… I feel like I'm losing him every time. I can't… *Sigh* Just can't…." I embrace her.

"Shh… It's all right Kim. Ron's fine and Eric is no more. You didn't lose him and you aren't going to."

"I know. When he's with me I know and I'm not scared but… When he's not around I feel like it was all in my dreams and he didn't actually survive. Every time I wake up from a nightmare I wonder what part is a dream and what part is real. If he actually died and my mind is making things up. I can't…."

"Hmm… I understand. And I think I have a solution for this. Do you trust me?"

"What could you possibly…."

"Yes or no?"

"… Yes." She concedes.

"Very well, then. Just relax and let me handle this. I'll be right back." Walking out of her room I find James waiting for me.

"Nightmares?" He asks.

"Yes. But this time I might have the perfect solution for it."

"Oh? Should I ask?"

"Hmm. I think it's better If you just get back to bed. Don't concern yourself with things that are going to make you lose even more sleep."

"Ah. So it involves him. Just promise me that nothing inappropriate will take place, please?" He begs, but he's obviously faking it. He trusts him as I do.

"Oh, hush you. You know that he won't do anything like that." I swat his arm.

Meanwhile we reached the phone. I dial his number. I let it ring for some time. Then he finally picks up.

"Hello?"

"Ronald? It's Anne."

"Uh.. Anne? Is something the matter?"

"Ronald, I'm sorry to call you this late but…. Could you please come over to our house? Kim… She needs your help. Could you please?"

"Uh… Sure. Say no more. I'll be over there shortly. Just give me a few minutes to get dressed."

"Thanks Ron. You are a life saver. I'll see you later."

"Later, Anne."

Hanging the phone I turn to James.

"He's coming."

"No doubt. When did he ever fail to answer when our daughter needed him?" he states matter-of-factly

"Never. Not once." I answer smiling.

"Well then. I'm going back to sleep. I don't like the idea of a young man in my daughter room in the middle of the night regardless of how trustworthy he is, so I won't idle around to see it happening. Night, honey."

"Night." I walk in the kitchen to get something to drink. No longer than five minutes later a soft knock on the door signals the arrival of her savior. "Thanks for coming so quickly Ronald."

The skinny man looks ghostly in the pale light filtering from outside.

"No problem Anne. What happened?" I sigh.

"She's having nightmare, Ron. She has been having them for the whole month of your 'death'. They stopped for a couple of night after your return but they began again yesterday."

"Oh. That sucks. Is she still feeling guilty for what happened?" I nod. "Damn. What can I do to help?"

"Well, Ron. Don't get me wrong, but… Could you please sleep with her?" He blinks. He blinks again. And again. "Oh, come on. You know what I mean."

"Yes, well. It's not a common occurrence that a woman asks a man to sleep with her daughter, is it?"

"I guess not. Listen, If you don't want to…" he cuts me off.

"I'll do it. It's not like we never slept in the same bed before. We were on a mission, all right, but I think I can handle it. How did she take it? I can't see her going on with your idea without making a fuss."

"You're right. That's why she doesn't know yet."

"What? But then…"

"Calm down. With you already here she shouldn't protest too much. Otherwise she would have been firmly against it. You know how she is."

"Yeah. Fine. Let's do it."

I lead the young man upstairs to Kim's room. I signal him to stay behind while I talk with my daughter.

"Kim? Are you still awake?"

"Of course I am. How do you expect me to sleep like this? What took you so long, anyway?"

"Sorry. I just had to call someone who can deal with your problem."

"Someone? Who did you…" she trails off as Ron makes his presence known.

"Hello, Kimbo."

"R-Ron? Wha..? Why are you here at this time at night? You don't…. MOM?"

"Well… I think it's better to leave the two of you alone now. Ron, I trust you with Kim. See you in the morning."

"What? Mom! You just can't leave like this. Wait a…." I don't hear anything else as I close the hatch behind me. That went well. Ron will take care of things. I need my sleep too after all. I'd better join James under the covers. I'm quite sure he won't sleep until I tell him that Kim's fine.

* * *

Author Note:

Here it is. Double update for ya. The next chapter is already here!


	49. Branded

**Chapter 29 – Branded**

* * *

This is awkward. Kim is sitting on her bed, with the covers reaching her waist. She is clearly wearing on of those shirts I used to leave at her house. Seeing the girl you had /And still have/ a crush on for most of your life wearing nothing else but an oversize shirt that belongs to you is a major turn on. Never mind the fact that I'm supposed to spend what's left of the night in the same bed with her. My hormones are in overdrive. If not for the fact that I'm more concerned for her well being that for my own desires I would probably be already in the bed with her.

"So…. Here we are." I say tentatively. It's odd having to break the ice with a person you have known for over ten years.

"Yeah…. So… what did Mom ask you to do?" Oh this will be fun.

"Oh, nothing really. She just asked me to sleep with you." Of course she understands the meaning of this statement, but she can't avoid to blush at the implied idea.

"Ah. I-It's not a big deal, right? I mean, if you don't want to…."

"Hm? Oh no, no. Sleeping with you is one of my most recurring fantasies. It's no trouble at all. I'm really looking forward to doing this with you."

"Wha..? But-but-but… I thought that you… that I… That us…" Switching from the platonic to the sexual meaning of that statement makes her question my intentions for the night, sending her mind into the gutter. Her embarrassed and shocked expression is priceless.

"Hmpff…! Come on, Kimbo. I'm just kidding. I thought that you would have seen through it right away. You know better than to take me seriously right away."

"B-b-but…. Argh! You insufferable jerk. How could you.." her sentence is cut off by my body sailing over her and landing not so gracefully on the other side of the bed, almost sending her flying on the floor. "Eeep! Ron!" She tries to sound angry, but the mirth in her voice betray her. That's good.

She grabs a pillow and slams it in my face. This is war. The pillow returns but I block it with my right hand while my left grabs the other pillow to retaliate the offence. It's only when it hits that she realizes that I have two hands to deal with her.

"Ron, that is…" I grin madly openin and closing my fist.

"Yup. The Rondo is dual handed once more. Although is a bit odd since it doesn't have sense of touch."

I tell her the story of my new arm and also about Olly. I avoid the whole GJ subject since it's none of her business. And besides the less people know about Vivian involvement in the investigation the better it is.

"I'm glad, Ron. You really deserve something for what you gave for everyone." I simply shrug. I've fought for myself that night, first and foremost. I never felt entitled to some sort of refund or payment. That's why I was touched by Vivian gifts.

Without us noticing we both slipped under the cover without any more embarrassment, like two kids at a sleepover. Without all the sexual awkwardness we can truly be ourselves around each other.

"I guess so. Time to sleep, Kimbo." She then realizes the position we are in, but before she has a chance to be embarrassed or to say something I place a finger on her lips. "Shh. It's all right. Just two friends sleeping in the same bed, just like we did when we were kids." She nods meekly, her blush receding. "Night, Kim."

"…Night, Ron." I slip one my right arm over her, drawing her closer to me. I can feel the warmth of her blush against my chest, but I say nothing more and neither she does. It takes some minutes, but finally her breath is coming in long, regular intakes signaling her sleep.

I watch her sleeping form in the darkness of the night. She's beautiful. She has always been. I wasn't kidding when I said that 'sleeping' with her was one of my recurring fantasies. She's just so… just so Kim. Though, yet frail. Strong, but gentle. Determined but insecure. I can't begin to describe the many way Kimberly Anne Possible is… well… herself. She has stolen my heart a long time ago, and despite all my attempts to keep her at a safe distance for both our sakes, I know that somehow a piece of me will always belong to her. I can't delude myself into thinking the opposite.

Sleep finally claims me as well, dragging me into a comfortable slumber.

* * *

I'm jerked awake by a sudden movement. Kim is trashing in my arms clearly haunted by a nightmare.

"No! Ron! Don't leave me. Ron!"

I shake her softly trying to wake her up without scaring her.

"Kim. Kim. Wake up. I'm here. It's just a nightmare. Don't let it get to you."

Her eyes shot open, unfocused. Then she finally sees me just inches from her face. She blinks a couple of times and then she leans forward before I have a chance to react.

Her lips crash against mine painfully. Her hands find a way to my hairs, pulling me close, strengthening the kiss. I try to protest, but opening my mouth is the worst possible mistake.

Her tongue sneaks inside the opening, claiming my mouth as its domain. The blissful feeling shooting down my spine clouds my judgment. I'm not even sure of when her legs circled my waist. HOLD ON!

"Ugh! K… ! …top!" I push her away from me. " Our lips come apart with a loud 'pop'. It would be tremendously arousing if not for the wrongness of the situation. "Stop! Kim, snap out of it!"

Her gaze comes into focus and she realizes exactly what has just happened. A storm of emotion pass through her eyes. Embarrassment and shame at the forefront.

"Oh my God. Ron! I'm so sorry. I was so scared." She pulls further away, but I react quickly, slipping my hands behind her, bringing her back to my chest.

"Shh…. It was nothing. Calm down. Just a bad dream."

"B-but I've kissed…" She sobs against my chest.

"Relax. It was just a little craziness, all right? You were scared and reacted badly. It's all right."

"But…"

"It's. All. Right." I silence her with a finger on her lips. "We have a just a few more hours to sleep. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right beside you."

"… Promise?" Damn! She's so cute when she looks at me with the Puppy eyes.

"Cross my heart." She nods and closes her eye. A couple of minutes later she's asleep again.

She's frail. She was never like this before. Only now I realize how deeply my supposed death wounded her. It's not like her to be this scared, weak, helpless. In the short spans of a month our roles reversed. No. Perhaps deep down she was always a little insecure. The first stages of her relationship with Josh are proof enough. I have to make a distinction between the 'Hero Kim' and the 'Girl Kim'. They are the same person, all right, but they face very different situation. She can take the world on without flinching. No amount of personal threats will ever slow her down, but when it comes to someone who she cares about... It's cute and scary at the same time.

How is it possible that I've never realized this before. Was I so blind? Nah. It's not that. Perhaps the closer you get to something, the harder is to see it. We grew so close that we weren't capable of really seeing each other for real anymore. Hmpf. Another reason to keep my distance from her. We need to get to know each other from the beginning. It's gonna be though but… I like the idea.

With these thoughts in mind I slip once more in the sweet embrace of Morpheus for the little time still granted to us tonight.

* * *

Morning comes far too soon. For the first time since I've woken up in the hospital I could have slept a few more hours. Maybe it's the cuddling. I open my eye to see Kim serenely sleeping face a few inches from my face. She's snoring lightly. Behind her, near the hatch to the lower floor Anne is standing with a smile on her face.

"Slept well?" she asks.

"Yes. She woke up once, but after that she slept without problems. Your idea worked."

"I guess it did. Thank you Ronald. Breakfast?"

"Sounds good. Let me wake up the sleeping beauty here, and we'll reach you downstairs."

She nods and leaves the room. I shake Kim lightly. "Kim. Wake up. Come on, It's morning. We have to go to school."

"Hrmmm..,. Five more minutes."

"Tsk, tsk. Kimberly Anne Possible. Procrastinating is my field of expertise, not yours. Get up this instant or I'll roll you out of bed."

"Hmmm… Fine." She gets up reluctantly. Her eyes are red and her fiery mane is all fuzzy.

"Hey. Nice hairdo Kimbo. Train wreckage style?"

"Shut up! Don't look! I'm going to take a shower." She stands up and walks to the bathroom. Maybe she's still half asleep and she doesn't realize that my shirt is not even covering her panties. Her nicely shaped ass is swinging all the way to the next room. I realize that I've whistled in appreciation only after the sound left my mouth. She turns around to see what the heck I'm whistling for. She doesn't catch on immediately, but as soon as she follow my stare….

"EEEP! Pervert!" She jumps into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. I laugh.

"Pervert? Me? You are the one who's flashing me her panties. Why am I being called a pervert?"

"Because… because… Argh! Because you are. Because I say so! Hpf!" She retorts childishly.

"Oh, suuure. That's very mature, Kim. Well then, I'm going to have breakfast. After that I'll get home to take a shower myself. Do you want me to pick you up with my new bike? Let's say in one hour?"

"Spankin'! See you later."

* * *

I walk downstairs where the rest of the Possible Clan is gathered.

"Olà Possibles! A Muy Bueno day to ya all."

"Morning Ronald." They answer in sync.

I sit between the twins, right in front of James. He's reading his paper and I can hear him slurping his coffee behind it. Meanwhile Anne placed a plate of waffles with syrup in front of me. I don't wait for permission to dig in. Damn, I'm hungry and Anne wonderful waffles aren't helping me to hold back.

"Where's Kim?" She asks.

*munch*munch* "Shower." I answer between one bite /more like one serving/ and another.

"I see." We eat quietly for a few minutes without speaking.

"Tell me, Ronald…." James begin after folding his paper and putting it on the table. "Why is that I hear you've been sleeping with my daughter?" He asks with a fake scowl. Seriously, a few weeks ago I could have sworn that he would put me in one of his rockets, never to be seen again on Earth. Now I know that he's only teasing me, hoping to make me squirm. Newsflash, MrDrP. Two can play this game. I swallow the last bite before answering in complete seriousness.

"I'll have you know that we are being responsible and we are using all possible precautions. You know I care for Kimberly deeply, and I could never jeopardize her future. We are being safe, I swear. I would never betray your trust like that. You know me."

Silence. Not a single person is speaking. Well maybe the only one truly speechless is the pale faced James. The twins are not really listening to anything involving Kim, while Anne, with her back turned to us, is shaking in suppressed laughter. She know her husband enough to know that he's slaw jacked.

"B-b-b-but…" He stutters. I can't hold the façade any longer and I explode in laugher, soon followed by Anne.

"Go- AhAhAh! Gotcha!"

"Uh. Wha…? Oh damn, you fooled me. Well played Ronald, but don't do that again please. I think I've lost a couple of years with that joke."

"No… AhAh! No promises. You've got it coming, MrDrP.

"I guess I did, but seriously. No more Kim jokes. I won't tease you anymore but I don't want that image in my head EVER!"

"Oh well. As long as you understand."

"Yeah, yeah."

The rest of the breakfast is cheerful but uneventful. A few minutes later I'm out of the back door with a full stomach. I take the long way to get home to avoid unwanted attention. Gods only know what shit the media will come up with if they bust me sneaking out of Kim's house after spending the night there.

* * *

I sneak inside my house and it's all silent. Shego is probably still sleeping. I'll arrange a quick breakfast for her before showering.

No longer than ten minutes later I'm knocking on her door.

"Shego? Breakfast's ready." I hear the footsteps on the other side of the door before she opens it.

"Good morning! I didn't hear you coming home tonight."

"You didn't because I slept at Kim's." I explain.

"Oh." She sounds disappointed. What's up? "I see. Is she all right? Nothing serious I hope." Hmm. Her sudden concern for her teen nemesis isn't convincing. And why do I think that she's jealous of her? And for what? Not for me…. Right?

"Hm? Oh, yes. Nothing major. Just a little counseling." She raises an eyebrow.

"In the middle of the night?"

"Nightmares don't wait for the shop to open up, Shego. We both know it." She flinches.

"Ah. That bad?"

"Yes. I won't speak of it anymore. It's personal and I don't have the right to talk about her issues."

"Of course. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. There's no harm done. Here, your breakfast is getting cold. I've already eaten at Kim's. Do you need anything before I leave?" I ask her.

"No. No, I should be fine. Thanks for asking. And for breakfast."

"Think nothing of it. Well then, I'll see you later. Try not to burn down the house, hm?"

"I'll try, but I won't guarantee anything. You'll better be back as soon as you can to make sure I'll behave." Is she… flirting?

"I'll think about it. Later Shego."

"Bye, Ron."

Shego is opening up to me a lot lately. Sure she still has more than a few issues that she doesn't talk about, but I just a few day we established a good relationship for two former enemies. Ah well, I won't look into a gift horse's mouth. It's good not to have to watch your back for plasma blasts.

* * *

Half an hour later I'm on my way to Kim's house riding Olly. For safety I told her to act like a normal bike until told otherwise or in case of emergency. A talking bike tends to draw attention and I don't need more of that for the time being. Plus, should I ever find myself into a dangerous situation, it's good to know that my enemies don't know about her.

Kim is already waiting for me in front of her house and she climbs behind me without even needing to stop.

"Let's go." She says right in my ear. I comply more than willingly. I love to leave the paparazzi in the dust behind us. Sure they've already took a few pictures us riding Olly, and it's not like we have anything to hide, but they are giving us an hard time. A little payback is long due.

I push Olly to the allowed speed on these roads. I don't want to get a ticket the first day I ride her.

Behind me Kim is holding tightly. Maybe even too tightly, but I don't mind the physical closeness at all. We reach Middleton High quickly, avoiding most of the traffic. Even here a lot of photographers are waiting for us. We pay them no mind as we zoom inside the school's gate.

For once many of the stares of my fellow schoolmates aren't directed at me or Kim. Olly is a hot babe in her own right. It's only fair that she gets her own share of admirers.

"Wow! That's a sweet ride, Ron-man." Felix greets us as I park Olly. More than a few persons are already reaching us to take a look at the newcomer.

"Isn't she? She's one of a kind, believe me."

"I do. Nice upgrade there on your shoulder too. I thought you couldn't get a prosthetic arm. What changed?"

"Eh. A friend of mine came up with a nice idea. Walk… err… Roll with me and I tell you about it."

Monique joins our merry group as we walk in the corridors of the school. This way I have the chance to tell them the story only once. I carefully avoid the confidential information and I ask them to keep quiet about Olly's features. They are not exactly a secret, but the less is known around about them, the better.

* * *

The day passes without any noticeable event. Until after lunch time that is. There is something about my locker that attracts troubles more than anywhere else in this school?

I am with Kim, Felix, Monique, Tara and Bonnie, who joined us for lunch like the previous day, when it happens. I thought I was impervious to public embarrassment by now, but I was obviously mistaken.

Sure I'm used to be left in nothing but my own boxers, so I don't have any problem to be associated to underwear of sort. Still, it's kinda embarrassing to open your locker and find yourself covered by skimpy female panties. /And also a few male ones. Uuugh!/

"Would you look at that? The hero of the Diablo invasion succumbs to a landslide of panties from hios admires." Mocks Felix.

"Indeed. Well Stoppable. What do you have to say for yourself?" asks Bonnie.

"Like I have anything to say. How the hell did they open my locker?"

"Well, Ron…" Kim begins "I guess that since you force it open every time because you keep forgetting the combination kinda gave other people the same idea." She states like it's the most normal thing.

"She got you there, Ron." Supports Monique.

"Fine. Make fun of me. Where I'm going to put this stuff?"

"You guys are impossible. Why don't you help him?" Asks Tara as she moves to save me from under the mountain of unmentionables.

"Because lately it's too difficult to get a good laugh out of him. We must take any chance we have to remind him that he's just another mortal like us." Points Felix. I don't like the implications of what he saying. For once I didn't let popularity get to my head, but for the sake of our friendship ,and for the fact that he is too much of a good guy, I'll presume that he's only telling me to ease up a little.

"Har! Har! Har! Well, just so you know no amount of teasing will make me feel like a mortal when such a goddess…" And I wave my hand in Tara's direction, who blushes prettily to my delight "… is caring for me. Save yourself the effort Steel Wheel."

There you go. How to turn an embarrassing situation in an opportunity to compliment your potential girlfriend. Keep 'em coming, Felix.

"Thanks." Tara mutters under her breath

"Don't thank me. It wasn't a compliment. Just stating the facts." There goes another flaming blush. I'm on a roll.

"All right. Enough with the mushy stuff you two." Say Bonnie with no little amount of amusement. I don't know why she's so happy. Maybe it's because things between me and Tara are going well. I hope so. Bonnie seems to be an important person for Tara and I don't want to distance her from her friend for some past animosity between us.

Finally with the combined help of the girls and Felix I manage to untangle myself and we dispose of the unwanted pieces of underwear quickly.

From there we part ways but just before I turn around Tara grabs my hand and quickly place a chaste kiss on my cheek and then she runs away.

"Since when did you become so smooth, Ron?" Felix asks sincerely curious.

"Dunno. I just go with the flow. It works. Besides no matter how cheesy a compliment might be, it's still a compliment. And they don't cost a thing, so…. "

"Yeah. I'll have to remind that. Come on, let's move. We don't want to make Mr. B. wait for us."

"God, no! Let's run."

* * *

Later in the afternoon Kimberly and I are riding Olly to Wade's.

"Kim? I need to ask a you a favor."

"Hm? What is it?"

"I need to talk with Wade about something… I want you not to interfere no matter what happens."

"Ron? What's the matter?"

"Just promise me. Please."

She park the bike in front of Wade's House. Kim take the opportunity to look into my eyes.

"Ron…. No. I trust you. I promise. I won't interfere."

"Thanks Kim. Let's go."

* * *

*RIING*

The doorbell sounds loudly and a few moments later a dark skinned woman opens the door. Wade's mother.

"Hello kids. It's good to see you. What are you doing here?"

"Good afternoon Mrs. Load. We're looking for Wade. Is he home?"

"As if he could ever be anywhere else. Come on in. Wade is in his 'room'. Go ahead."

"Thank you Mrs. Load."

We reach Wade's room /Lair is the appropriate term/ in the basement and knock on the door.

"Come in guys." Of course he already know we are here. He got the world wired. I can't expect his house to be any less, can I? Entering the room we see that he answered from under a desk. He's probably wiring some of his stuff

"Wade." I greet coldly. I can already feel the repressed anger pumping. I've tried not to think about this but now that I'm here….

"Hi Wade. I haven't heard from you lately. I was worried for you. Are you doing fine?"

"Just fine. Most of my system are back online. I should be operative in a week or so. As soon as the latest parts I've ordered arrive." That's Wade for ya. Questioning him on his health is like asking a full system status.

The slightly overweight kid drags himself out and stands to greet us.

"Ron, Kim. It's good to see you guys. Thanks for dropping by. Are you doing fine?"

"Mostly." I shrug. "But before we get lost in pleasantries, I need you to take a look at this." I take a small box from my pocket and throw it to the tech guru. He catches it without effort.

"What is this?" He looks at me warily, not understanding why I'm so abrasive. Kim is already expecting something due to my request before but I say nothing and simply motion him to open it with a nod of my head.

Reluctantly he remove the top of the box, his eyes widening in understanding as he does. His head snaps up with an explanation /an excuse more likely/ already on his lips. He doesn't have the chance to says anything as I cover the distance between us grabbing him by the hem of his shirt and slamming him on the desk behind him.

"What! The fuck! Where you thinking!" I growl just inches from his face.

"I-I-I…."

"RON!" Kim screeches behind me. I hear her footsteps reaching us, but I raise my left hand in a stopping gesture, turning my head just enough to make eye contact with her.

"You promised." She stops immediately, biting her lips, the inner conflict is clear on her face. Then she nods and steps back.

I turn back to my prey. "Where were we? Oh right. What were you thinking, Wade? Chipping me like that without my knowledge?"

"I did…" he gulps loudly " I did it for your safety, I…"

"BULLSHIT!" I growl louder in his face. "Don't feed me that crap, kiddo. A tracking chip does wonder for safety, not telling me about it doesn't. Do you realize the implications of what you've done?"

"I… I mean.. Implications?"

"Yes, you genius. What do you think would have happened if I was hospitalized by somebody else but GJ? They would have run a full scan on me and found that stuff. When they would have discover I didn't have any idea of why a tracking chip was in my neck they would have investigated it. Do you have any idea of what would have happened if they finally found it was you? Do you need me to tell what kind of mess you would have put you and your whole family into? Have you even thought about it?"

"I… I didn't…" he stutters.

"Of course you didn't! But let's go eve a little deeper shall we. What would have happened to Team Possible, uh? Kim's mom is a brain surgeon, for Christ sake. Don't you think they would have connected her to the illegal surgery? Never mind the fact that she doesn't have anything to do with it, even if she'd came clean out of it, the media would have feast on her in the meantime. We would have lost her job to say the least." Behind me Kim gasps in realization. In their naivety they didn't realize what kind of mess they were putting into motion. "You've almost ruined our families and our reputations with this stunt."

"B-but…."

"Shut up! Vigilantism is already illegal as it is. We are lucky they didn't prosecute us for all the unauthorized breaks-in we did in the past, and that only happened because every time we stopped a major take-over-the-world plot or because none of our foes ever tried to sue for it. Most likely because they are wanted themselves, but they could have exploited it to throw US behind the bars with them. But in that case we would at least have had the public support to save our asses from major repercussions. This is a private matter that would have brought us all to ruin."

"I'm sorry I…" he tries.

"Shut it! I'm not finished! This is the part that pisses me off more than anything else. What do you know about me Wade? About my family? Do you know where we come from?"

"Uh? What?

"We came from Europe right after WWII. Jews, Wade. We are Jews. Does that rings a bell? Most of the family on my dad's side lost their lives in the camps. Starved, ill, branded like animals, and ultimately killed. Gramps still has nightmares about it and a tattoo on his arm to remind him for his whole life. What gave you the right, Wade? Do you have any idea of how it feels to be branded like cattle? Uh? Do you? ANSWER ME WADE!"

"I'M SORRY! I didn't know… I didn't think. I would never…"

"I know you don't, Wade. I know there was no malice in your actions but that doesn't make it any better. It only saves you from the beating I would have given to anybody else. Hear me out and burn it into that precocious brain of yours. Every action has consequences. I can't possibly hope you or anybody else to know all of them beforehand, that's just not possible, but if you don't stop and at least think about them you will only ruin yourself and those around you."

As soon as I release the kid he slumps on the floor crying. Behind me Kim is doing the same, both her hands on her mouth. Her face is pale and her eyes are wide. She knew about the chip, of course. The sole reason I didn't tear into her as well is….

"I won't ever talk about this again. As far as I'm concerned this is in the past. A mistake that will not be repeated. Believe me Wade, if you ever pull another stunt like this, you'll turn white from the beating."

"It… it won't happen. I'm sorry." I nod.

"Plus, I want you to fully deactivate the other chip. The one in Kim's neck."

"WHAT?" Said girl neck snaps up. "Wade?" her hand slips on her neck. Horror joins guilt and sorrow in her expression. Yup, the reason why I didn't face her about the chip is only because I wanted her to experience the feeling of violation I felt. It works better than anything I could ever come up with.

"How… How did you know?" he asks clearly surprised.

"I didn't." I reply. "I only suspected it, but thanks for confirming it."

Without a word Kim bolts out of the room. I'd better follow her.

"Think about what I said, Wade." I don't wait for an answer and follow Kim upstairs.

"What happened? Why was she crying?" asks Mrs. Load, still looking in the direction Kim disappeared.

"Oh, it's nothing, Don't worry about it. We are leaving. Thank you for having us, Mrs. Load."

"Uh. You are welcome anytime…. I guess."

Kim is walking aimlessly with her arms around her. I reach her with a short run.

"Kim…" She stops but doesn't turn around. "Kim look at me." But she keeps looking to her feet.

"How could we? How could screw things up so badly? How could we jeopardize everything like this? How could we do this to you of all people, I…"

"You asked Wade to chip me? I know you didn't. And for the rest we are young Kim. Young and lucky. Considering what we risked that is. Makes you wonder, uh? We dodged more than a bullet in the past. Thinking about it, personal harm was the very least that could've happened."

"I… How could I have been so blind? So drunk on the thrill of the missions not to realize what I was doing?"

"You and me both, Kim. For different reasons but stupid all the same. If there's a guilt we share it."

"I thought… we were doing something good, but.."

"And we did. Not fully aware of what exactly we were doing, but we have done some good all the same. We need to learn, Kim. Our mistakes are a good point to start. Don't let the guilt get at you. No one needs it, not even you." She nods slowly before rising her face to look at me.

"Wade…. I feel disgusted that he did that to me. Then I feel disgusted about myself because I knew he did it to you and I didn't reproach him. I went along with it and now I feel so disgusted about myself for my hypocrisy. I don't know how I can possibly face Wade, or you. Or a mirror."

"Hush." I circle her body with my arms. "It's gonna be all right. We will learn and improve. We won't make the same mistakes. Let go of the past."

"Do you really think I can do that? Just look at you and pretend nothing ever happened?"

"Of course not. I not asking you to pretend or even to forget. I'm asking you, begging you, to learn to live with it. We are bound to make many more mistakes it the future. Bad like these if not worse. Don't let them conquer you. If anybody can do it that's you." She sniffs in my chest.

"*SNIFF* Will you help me?"

"Always." I whisper in her hear. "Let's go home?" She nods.

We walk together the short distance to Olly. Another part of our mistakes has been dealt with. Now let's move ahead.

* * *

Author note:

Here it is. The confrontation between Ron and Wade. Team Possible is shattered but it can finally be rebuilt. Let's see how it works.

PS: The arc is almost finished.


	50. Intruder

**Chapter 30 –Intruder**

* * *

Days passed without noticeable incidents since my face-off with Wade. I haven't heard from the kid since then, although he did send to me a new version of the Kimmunicator. I suppose that it will take a little more time for him to understand how he could have screwed up that badly if he's supposedly a genius. On his defense he is probably more socially inept than I am. Plus he really still is a kid. He doesn't understand the full extent of his actions. I will contact him today if he doesn't do it first. After all he did send me a way to call him, right.

Friday arrived in a flurry of homework, training, sparring with Shego, and spending my nights with Kim taming each other nightmares. Shego seemed to slip away from me the closer I've gotten to Kim. She didn't revert to be hostile but it's like she built up a wall between us. I'm a little disappointed because I think that we could get along quite well together. After I've conquered my self-esteem issues our playful banter as become an enjoyable experience. I really want to find out what's nagging her but I need to settle things with Kim. A lady with nightmares at a time is all I can handle, seriously. I still have my own issues to deal with.

Thankfully both of our nightmares receded drastically since we started cuddling together and Kim didn't have one this night. Hopefully she has finally healed to the point of sleeping alone.

I'm a little sad though. Waking up with Kimberly snuggled in my arms is a wonderful experience. I feel rested like I've never did since before the Prom. It's great not looking at the world in a daze.

Stretching my arms wakes Kim up. She smiles under that red bushy mane of hers.

"Morning." She says sleepily. "Slept well?"

"Great, actually. What about you?" I ask back.

"Hmm. No nightmares at all. Thanks." She pushes herself up and hugs me. I can feel her scent filling up my nostrils and I have to hold myself back not to push her back on the mattress and ravish her.

"You are quite welcome, my lady. Come on. Sun's up and we have a lot to do." I stand up from the bed and stretch my limbs. Was that my neck cracking?

"We do? It's still so early." She protests.

"Well, I can't let you slack like that can I? You need to move. The past month hasn't been gentle with you. You are not in your usual shape. We need some good exercise if we want to recover. We are going out for a jog."

"Awww! I don't wanna." And she put her pillow on her head hiding from the world.

"Oh yeah? Let's see if this is a good enough motivation." I walk back to her. Straddling her body I pin her on the bed face down. And then proceed to tickle her mercilessly.

"Hm? What are you up Ahahaha *gasp* Quit… ahahaha.. it!" She trashes and flails her arms trying to push me away, but I have the upper hand.

"Do you yeld?"

"Ahahah! *Anf* Yes. Ahahaha! Please! Have mercy!"

I roll off her letting her catch her breath. That was fun. Then suddenly her pillow is in my face and our position are reversed on the floor.

"You are gonna pay for that." She growls. Her hands sneak in my shirt looking for vengeance. And they find plently. Kim nimble fingers are exploring my torso tickling relentlessly. I could just push her away and be done with it, but it looks like she's having too much fun and so am I.

Suddenly she stops startled. Her hand his resting in the middle of my chest. What?

She pulls back and I push myself up into a sitting position.

"Kim? What's wrong?" She doesn't answer but pulls up my shirt to the neck exposing my chest. Ah. Legacy's scar of course. She looks at it almost in trance. I fear that her guilt is coming back with a grudge. "Kim. It's all right. It's nothing. I'm…" words die in my mouth as she presses her lips on the scar. Every limb, muscle, cell in my body is invaded by a powerful jolt. The electric shock I took that night holds nothing over this sensation.

Her lips are burning on my skin, and I can feel something stir inside my chest. I can tell it, I'm not the only one feeling Kim's affection through her kiss. Deeper than my skin, bones and muscles the sentient entity that is Legacy is feeling it too. I don't know what it means for it – him – to be on the receiving end of this kiss. I do know what it means to me, though.

It means I'm trapped. Frozen by Kim's spell. She has this power on me. To deny the rest of the world and be the sole focus of my attention. I'm losing it. If she pushes things further I don't know if I'll be able to pull back.

My fear becomes reality when she removes her face from my chest. I think I'm finally safe. I'm not. She takes the chance to claim me while I'm too dazed to resist.

She moves higher and her sweet soft lips meet mines with gentleness and determination. Sliding her hands in my hair she pushes me back on the floor. Her tongue sneaks inside my mouth without any resistance on my part. We both moan and groan as we explore each other. Morning breath is not an issue. Kim's mouth is the sweetest thing I've ever tastes.

We trade fluids as my hands circle her and climb up her back under her nightshirt, my shirt. Smooth. I never knew a woman skin could be this soft. The sensation is so new that even the fake hand can feel it. I know that it's my brain making it up, but I can feel it nonetheless.

I don't know how long we are going at it. Reality doesn't matter. She ground her hips in my laps and the friction on my very attentive manhood rewrites all I knew /Very little/ about carnal pleasure. I feel her dampness seep through the thin cloth of my pajama.

She groans her pleasure in my mouth and I finally snap out of it. What the hell are we doing?/Scratching each other itches?/ So not the time for jokes./ I'm not joking! Although I have to admit I'm having quite some fun./We have to stop./ No we don't!/ Yes we do! This is wrong./ … Fine!/

I push Kim back but she resist. As soon as our lips part she returns with more strength, but I won't accept it. Does she wants to rape me?/Whoo-hoo! Let her./ SHUT UP!/ Tch. Spoilsport./

"Kim! Enough! Please stop."

"I don't want to! I don't want you to leave. I want you to be mine. I lov…humpf!" I shut her up with an hand on her mouth.

"Please don't!" I implore on the verge of tears. She looks at me without understanding. "Don't say those words. I won't be able to move forward If you do. I won't be able to walk away from you ever again. I need to be my own person Kim but, I can't do it with you. Not now. I'm too frail, too weak to be able to stand on my own if I have you to help me walk. I need to learn how to be the person, the man I'm supposed to be. My feelings for you are too strong to allow me to do that. I can't see anything else but you when we are together like this." I remove my hand from her now tear streaked face.

"Why? Why can't I be with you? Why can't we be together? I… I… If you feel that way…"

"It's because I feel that way that I can't. If I were to be in a relationship with you I would throw away everything else for your sake."

"Is that so wrong?" She asks choking on her tears.

"Yes it is. Look at me Kim, I've just began to grow. I'm still a chick into its egg with no real understanding of what is going on. You are that egg Kim. You shelter me from the world but you don't allow me to develop like I should. I need to be at arm's reach with you or I'm going to lose my sense of self."

She nods in understanding, but she pushes me back on the floor. I trust her enough to let her do it. She cries quietly in my chest.

"I'm… I'm so selfish. I want you with everything that I am. I want you to stay away from Tara and be with me all the time…"

"I'm… not so sure about that Kim." I reply.

"What do you mean?"

"I think, no, I fear that what you want is the world the way it was before this mess happened. A world were right and wrong, friends and enemies were a clear cut case. A world where you could do anything without looking back to those you left behind. And you want to start rebuilding that safe picture starting with me." She stiffens at my words. My fear become hers as well and she cries a little more. "You can't, Kim. We can't. The world we lived in was just an illusion."

"But I liked it." She retorts in between tears.

"So did I. But I saw a glimpse of the real world and I find myself wanting more. Please Kim, let me walk this path. I need to do it." She nods in my chest.

"I… I want to kiss you. I want to ravish you. And I feel bad for wanting it. What am I becoming?"

"I don't know Kim, but knowing you as I do, I'm sure that whatever person you will turn out to be you will be nothing less than wonderful. Trust me. I know you better than you do."

She laughs at that but the tears are still streaming. I let her calm down, regain he composure before nudging her to move. She stands up tentatively, covering her exposed legs in embarrassment now that the arousal has faded.

"Do you want to leave?" She asks without looking at me in the eyes. I shake my head.

"No, we were going for a jog and we still are. You are out of your mind if you think I'm leaving you alone in this state." She raise her gaze to look in my eye.

"How do you do it? Putting up with a selfish wreckage like me all the time?" I smile.

"That's what I do. I need you in my life as much as you need me. We have to learn how to walk on our own, but we can't expect to learn in one go, can we? We are going to try, we are going to stumble, we are going to fall. And we are going to help each other to get up again."

"… Since when did you became so wise?" I laugh at her sudden awe.

"Death has its ways to teach you how to live. Come on, we should be going."

* * *

We left the house from the back to avoid being noticed. The sun is barely above the horizon and it's warm rays are bathing Middleton in a gold light with red reflections. It's an amazing sight for such a plain scenario. This early in the morning the air is crisp clear and flow in out lungs with ease.

Kim is filled with pent up energy and I find it difficult to keep up with her despite almost a month of inactivity on her part. Still, I won't be left behind any longer and I flank her every step of the track. When we finally return home we are both feeling much better and our heads are a lot clearer.

"Whew! Here we are Kim."

"Yeah. I'm surprised, Ron. You kept up with me all the way. You really improved."

I wave my hand in front of my face as to dismiss her praise.

"Not that much. *Anf* You are the one who lost… *anf* her shape."

"Be that as it may you didn't give up when things got difficult. I'm proud of you."

"Aw. It was just a jog. Nothing to be impressed about." I retort.

"I wasn't talking only about that. I'm talking about everything you are doing lately. You've became a great support for everyone around you. Mom and Dad are looking up to you to help me and so do I. Tara is much more outspoken, following your example, and Bonnie isn't as mean as before. She's still hurtful form time to time, but I can see that she's trying to improve. Now that I think about it I can understand why you don't want things to go back the way they were before. I respect you for that. You are showing me a type of strength I didn't know being possible. Or needed for that matter. I respect you very much for this reason."

Through her speech I felt my chest swell with pride of an intensity matched only by my blush. Kim appreciation is something I always looked and still look for in every action I make. I know I shouldn't and I'm really trying to learn how not to do it. Still that doesn't mean I'm not going to like it when it happens.

"Thanks. I- I don't know what to say." I stutter.

"Then don't say anything. You've already said and done for us more than we ever asked or deserved. Be proud of yourself, Ron. You already are a great person."

Without even a goodbye she turns around an runs toward her house. I stand on my spot with my mind swirling. Me a great person? Oh, Kim. Not nearly enough. My objective is so far away I can't even begin to measure the road in between. If you are impressed with this much give me a little time. I will completely rewrite what you know about greatness.

* * *

I walk inside my house to shower and change for the day. Shego is in the living room. Her arms crossed on her chest.

"What a cute picture. You are sooo sweet that I almost feel like vomiting looking at the two of you." I glare at her.

"What's your problem, Shego? Kim is my friend. Are you jealous of our relationship or something?" She blushes hard. Then she growls.

"Jealous? Of her? Of course I am." Oh. I didn't expect her to admit that.

"Why? What does she have that you could possibly want?" I dodge the glass that she throws at me. It shatters against the wall sending shards all over the room.

"Are you stupid or do you just act the part? She has everything. A loving family. A successful social life. Friends. And more than everything she has you." Her eyes widen as she realizes what she just said.

"M-me?" I ask surprised. Is she really jealous of Kim… because of me? She dashes out of the room and up the stairs. I'm still a little winded from before but I'm a good runner. I catch her on the second floor. I cut her way to the attic standing in front of her.

"MOVE!" she screams without looking at me. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"Why? So that you can run and hide behind a closed door? You can't keep the world out like that Shego. The best you can obtain is to prevent the people who cares from reaching and helping you."

"There is no one. There is one who would care for me like you do with her." Tears break free from her eyes. She's feeling desperately alone. What kind of life could she have lead to feel so abandoned? She has a family. Why doesn't she relate with them?

"There is somebody. There must be. Someone who would care if you are crying and feeling alone like you do. No one is truly alone if he doesn't want to be. Stop closing your hearth to the world."

She takes a couple of steps back, surprised by my understanding of the situation. I would be surprised as well if I didn't pay attention to her in the past week. In a sense she is so much like I was. Alone in an ocean of people. If it wasn't for Kim… No. Enough with this pity fiesta. It's my turn. My turn to be there for someone who feel alone and abandoned.

"You are so naïve." She retorts bitterly. "Do you really think that? Do you really believe that there is someone who would look out for me somewhere out there?" I sigh at the hopelessness in her voice.

"Out there. In here." She finally locks her gaze with mine.

"D-do you mean it? Would you really be there for me if I needed you?" She asks with a spark of hope. The fact that a simple proposal of friendship is giving her an unknown hope is hurting me like a knife in my heart.

"Shego… I have no idea what you have been through since you won't tell a soul about it, but you won't have to face anything alone if you allow me to be there for you."

"Why?" She asks with distrust in her voice. "What do you have to gain? You don't even know who I really am. Why would you go to such lengths for a stranger?"

I could reply that years passed fighting each other doesn't really makes us strangers anymore but I can see what she means.

"It's your eyes." I tell her. "I know that expression, that feeling of solitude that courses through them. I felt it every time Kim wasn't with me. I have been through a lot myself Shego. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it was for you, but I know about it. I have been bullied, called names, mocked and made fun of. And the bad guys kept forgetting my name. If Kim wasn't there for me I think that I wouldn't have gone too far. When Kim pushed me back the night of the Prom my world collapsed. I didn't have anyone, anything to keep on living, much less to keep on fighting. I went on out of stubbornness and because I knew that I was right for a change."

"I'm… I'm not following you."

"*Sigh* What I'm trying to tell you is that I know how you feel. I know what it means to be left outside. Alone, neglected, mocked if not outright despised. You don't deserve it because nobody does. I'm not going to stand aside and look while whatever happened in your life tears you apart and the world laughs at your misfortune. I have been saved from that fate once without really deserving it more than the next guy. If you can't trust me enough yet to believe that I'm willing to do it because I care for you, trust me to do it because I feel it's the right thing to do. Give me the chance to be the person you need."

She stands there looking at me. Evaluating me with her deep black eyes. What I proposed her is really simple and shouldn't even require that many words. Her carefulness over this matter proves how deep her heart has sunk over the years.

"I've told you I'm not good with trust issues." She tells sighing.

"You've trusted me with your life and with your safety when you have accepted my deal. I don't think I let you down in any way, did I? I'm asking you to trust me with your friendship. Is that really so difficult?" She laughs bitterly.

"Honestly? It is. Death scares me but it would mean the end of mockery of life I'm living. Wounds hurts but they eventually heal. My heart is a lot more frail and it's already cracked. I don't think I could survive another hit. Not after…." She bites her lip to keep whatever she was going to say inside. She's crying openly now. I want to know what made her like this but I can't push the matter if I want her to open up. "So yeah. It's hard for me to trust someone. But…. It might just be worth the effort. I accept, Ron. Just don't expect me to act all buddy-buddy. I'm not like that anyway." I laugh at the image of Shego acting like an old pal. Definitely not the idea I had in mind.

"I guess that's all I can ask." I walk to her with my hand stretched. She grabs it tentatively and shakes it.

She sniffs, drying her tears and then and walks past me without looking back.

I should give her some time on her own to deal with this new development. Besides I still have to go to school and I'm already running late. I'd better move. Barkin is going rip my head off. Gotta go.

* * *

I'm a little ashamed. I've arrived at school a little after Barkin lesson started. I had to slip inside the classroom using the Art. I felt like a thief. For about two seconds that is. Barkin expression when he called my name and I answered was priceless. Not that it was any different from my classmates. I swear that Felix jumped with his own legs when I broke the illusion with my voice.

"Shit, man!" He gasped after Barkin stopped staring at me with murder in his eyes. "When the hell did you arrive?"

"Hmm? I've always been here. Haven't you been paying attention?" he scowls at me.

"I did pay attention, Ron. I was actually looking for you in the hallways and when I've got into the classroom. You definitely weren't here. How did you do it?" I chuckle.

"Ah, Felix. You don't really wanna know. I'd have to kill you if you ever found out." I tell him. A bit of the Jester must have slipped in my expression cause Felix paled considerably and didn't ask anything else. Damn, I love being feared from time to time.

* * *

The rest of the day was quiet and Felix actually laughed when I've told him I was joking about killing him. Of course the part about not telling him was true. I don't exactly know how much Yamanouchi wants to let the world know about the Art. And what was I supposed to tell him, anyway? That I'm a ninja in training. That answer would have triggered too many other questions that I definitely couldn't answer.

Anyway things went smoothly from there onward. I've told Kim and the others about the coming night out with the football team, and while I've told her that I would like very much if she went with me I also asked her to let me handle a bit of social life alone. I have to learn how to deal with a bunch of guys three time my size without either running away or fighting them. Luckily she understood my intention and she thanked me for thinking about her.

On the other hand I discovered later that Tara and Bonnie are going to be there as well tonight, but since Tara and I aren't officially dating or anything /yet/ it's just going to be a friendly thing.

* * *

I've left the house around 9.00 after promising Shego to bring her something from the diner. Turns out that the old place is quite famous for its grilled steaks. Shego seems to have a weakness for meat and it appears that she usually stopped by that place when she was in Middleton.

I rode Olly all the way there without hurry. The early evening air is not as fresh and clean as in the morning but it holds the promise of the coming summer. The air on flows smoothly over me and inside my leather jacket. It's the same I wore that time during the 'bad boy' incident. Only this time it has an honest purpose and it's not a statement of toughness.

It took half an hour to arrive at the diner. By then all the football team was already there. I walked inside the old restaurant and reached the table where the guys were sitting. As I was walking there a few customers must have recognized me if the gaping mouths and the fork clattering on the floor are any indication. Jeez close that mouth will ya? I can see your tonsils behind that half chewed… whatever that is.

Ignoring the stares around me I reach that blonde head that belongs without a doubt to Brick Flagg.

"Hey guys. Do you have room for another guy?" I ask nonchalantly. I fell tense like I haven't in a long while. I can face world crisis without a care and I feel awkward among my peers? You still have a long road ahead Mr. Stoppable."

"Stops!" Exclaims Brick. "You came." He raises his hand and I high-five him.

"Yeah. I couldn't turn down an invitation like that. If there's food involved I'm usually in. So, how's life treating you." I sit between Brick and another jock whose names escapes me. We chat for a while about school life, while I order something to eat. Around me the reaction are mixed. Brick is clearly friendly but that doesn't surprises me at all. According to Bonnie the big guy is a softie once you go beyond first appearances. The rest of the squad is divided. A few are clearly scared and avoid any conversation with me. It's understandable since the guy you bullied on a regular basis turned out to be an ass kicker better than you. I'm pretty sure that a couple of these guys where at the Prom so they know exactly how much I do kick ass.

Others are openly mocking me and borderline hostile. They obviously don't know how much I can kick ass. It doesn't take long for one of them to put his foot in his mouth.

"Tell us Stoppable… how did you do it?" I chew the bite in my mouth and swallow it before answering.

"What exactly are you talking about… Ted?"

"This." He says widening his arms indicating the whole place around us. "Look at those chicks down there. They have been staring at you since you walked in. At school they only talk about you."

"So?"

"How did you manage to make everyone believe you are actually a winner like us and not the loser you really are?" I swear that I've heard a few jaws snap close as the idiot spoke those words and… was that Brick growling?

"… Why do you want to know Teddy? Does it bother you? Did I invade your turf? Or is it because your girlfriend is one of the girls who gifted me her panties the other day?" I ask in a moment of genius.

Spot on! The idiot digs his grave deeper putting his hands on me, gripping my shoulders with all the strength he has. It hurts. Just not as much as I hurt him.

"Listen up Loser. You will stay away from Barbara or I will AGH!"

The GP arm Vivian gave me doesn't have more strength than my real arm cause it would have a bad effect on my spine to have an unequal amount of power. Its gripping power is a whole different matter though. I squeeze his hand hard and a few bones pop under the pressure.

"No, you listen up fucker. I don't even know who your girlfriend is and I don't really care. I don't know what do you think you can do to me, but I'm giving you a choice. Either you stop now and live with a bruised ego or we continue this little macho act of yours and I'll add a few misplaced bones to the list of injuries. Your call big guy. I'm gonna enjoy this evening either way." I release the hold on his hand and he massages it with the other.

He looks around and see that the whole place his looking at us. A few girls are snickering at him. He simply turns on the spots and walk out of the diner. Not before throwing an empty threat at me.

"You are going to pay for this, Stoppable." As if I never heard the same shit from much scarier guys. Compared to Shego or Fiske the guy is as scary as a puppy.

I don't even grace him with an answer and I resume eating my steak as nothing ever happened. Brick slaps my shoulder in appreciation and the rest of the night goes on without even mentioning the idiot.

* * *

I'm grateful that Olly can drive itself cause I'm really spent. I take a shorter route to get back since I really want to get some sleep. Tonight I will sleep in my bed again since the first night Anne called me over. Maybe this will put Shego in a better mood.

I park Olly in the garage and then walk inside. As soon as I'm in the house I feel like something is out of place. I focus on my senses scraping the surface of my power. There is somebody in the kitchen. Somebody who isn't Shego judging for the footsteps. Who could it be? Not waiting to be surprised for the uninvited guest I focus and detach myself from the world.

The change is smooth if a little slow. I don't know what degree of proficiency I've acquired and anyway I don't know anything about the level of awareness of the intruder. I need to be careful. Slowly and with the favor of the darkness I sneak in the kitchen only to find…. Nobody? Oh Shit.

The instant I realize that if the intruder is nowhere in sight then he's behind me, an hand has already clutched my hairs and the edge of a well sharpened blade as found its way to my throat.

* * *

Author Note:

I'm back after a small break with a minor side project (namely a Bleach one-shot you can find in my profile)

Another intense chapter where Ron, Kim and Shego try to find their place near each other, plus a little confrontation between Ron and the Football team.

What's going to happen to our hero now? Who's the intruder and what are his intentions?

Will Ron survive the meeting unscathed?

Keep in touch to find out.


	51. Storm

Chapter 31 – Storm

* * *

Finding yourself in the darkness of your own home with a knife at your throat is never a good thing. Never was and never will be. I don't know how long it lasted; time tends to bend a little when adrenaline is flooding your system. God bless adrenaline. It gives you the edge needed to overcome the most difficult situations. It makes your heart pump, your nerves tense and your muscles coil.

It's this state I find myself into and it's in this excited state that I pull with everything I have.

'Come,' I order channeling my fear and my will to fight. She responds eagerly to my summoning.

There is no red mist or blue light this time around. She emerges from the floor fast as an arrow, blade first pointing toward my unknown assailant.

Whoever this person is, he's good. He deflected the blade with the knife upon freeing me from his hold. I roll on the floor and call her back to me. She doesn't fail to answer and her familiar hilt meets my hand like an old friend.

**"I'm here, King,"** she speaks in a sultry voice, **"let us cut down your enemy."**

I'd really like to grant her wish but I need this person alive if I want to find out who he is working for. Is he an agent from WEE or another party? I hardly believe he's a lunatic who wants to kill me because I'm a celebrity or something. To be able to see through my Art and deflect a blade coming out of nowhere he must be a skilled assassin.

I plunge in the power of cowardice and expand my senses. Nothing. It seems like he disappeared. No. He's a ninjustu adept. He's using the Art as well. Focus, focus, focus.

I let the sphere of my perception shrunk, focusing my sense on the close surroundings. I need to use all of my skills to find this fucker. Gotcha!

He moves slowly, an unorthodox approach for an assassin. Perhaps he's trying to avoid my perception like that, sacrificing swiftness if favor of stealth. Not bad, it could have actually worked if I wasn't more than trained to detect dangers. It comes with years of cowardice.

I don't leave him the first strike anymore. As soon as I have him within my reach I swing the blade.

*CLANG*

Again the Blade is deflected, but this time I won't lose track of my target. I swing again, following the blades lead in my mind. I'm no swordsman but the blade nudges me in the right direction.

Parried, parried, parried. This guy is definitely skilled, more than I am. /Big deal. We suck at fighting./

If not for the fact that we are fighting in my house I might as well be dead, but here I can use everything at my advantage. I don't know how long it takes but he's finally where I wanted him. I slash with an upward vertical motion trying to cut his face in half. I have as much success as my previous attempts, but this time I have him. I kick in the dark and my foot meets with the small table in front of the couch sending it flying and crashing against the intruder.

"Kyaa!" A girlish scream escapes his, no, her lips. A woman?

I don't hesitate at this discovery and step forward kicking at her feet. My attack knocks her off balance and she falls to the floor with a thump. As I hear the knife clattering away from our position I put a foot on her chest and pin her to the ground while changing the blade to a Bo staff to knock her out.

It's that moment the light flickers on.

"Ronald?"

I recognize Shego's voice, but I don't turn around to look at her. Instead I glare down at my assailant. Familiar black eyes stare back at me.

…

"Yori?"

"Stoppable-san?" she asks surprised. Who else was she expecting me to be?

"What the hell?" adds a surprised Shego. "What's going on?" She ignites her powers ready for a fight.

"My question exactly, what's going on Yori? What are you doing in my house and why did you try to kill me?" I demanded, my voice as cold and sharp as any blade. I like Yori as a friend and all, but I don't take kindly to anyone who tries to slit my throat.

"Kill you? No, I would never, I was fighting against another shinobi, I'm…" her speech trails off and her eyes widen in surprise. "It was you? But how? I'm sure it was a trained assassin I was fighting… It can't possibly be..."

Her surprise seems genuine, but I'm not too willing to trust her right now. One near death experience is all I can take in a single night. Slowly I step away from her, my guard still up.

"Get up," I order her. "Sit on the couch with your hands where I can see them." She does as instructed looking at me with a mixture of respect and surprise. "Now, tell me what's going on."

She rubs her chest where my foot was moments ago. I didn't go easy on her. I honestly couldn't.

"I… Sensei asked me to return here to insure your safety Stoppable-san. I was ordered to be your…shadow until you could come to Yamanouchi after the end of your school year. I did not know where you were when I arrived here tonight, and since Shego-san could not exactly come and open the door if I had knocked, I made my way inside. I am sorry for my rudeness, this is the second time I entered your home without permission. My deepest apologies."

"Uh…that's all right, I guess, but it's really not the problem here. Why did you attack me?"

"I… I barely got inside when I've heard the sound of a motorcycle arriving. I thought it was you returning home and I was about to make my presence known when you suddenly disappeared from my perception," she explained before pausing. Her face lowered and her shoulders sagged as she took a deep breath.

"Stoppable-san I am… I am a trained kunoichi, I have honed my skills through years with both the Art and the Awareness. For someone to slip away from my perception and simply disappear requires a great deal of skill, skill only another ninja or very well trained assassin could possess. I never thought that it could have been you, I gave you that book not even a week ago, how could I possible believe that it was you?" she asked shaking her head in disbelief. "I thought it was an assassin sent to kill you and I…I… I have disgraced myself, and the name of Yamanouchi," she ends her explanation almost in tears.

Great, now I feel like a jerk.

Her story does make sense though and it explains why she's not in her usual ninja garb, just a simple white shirt and a purple skirt. Not exactly the outfit of someone on an assassination mission.

I sigh and release a breath I didn't even know I had been holding. "It's all right, Yori. Nobody's hurt."

"No," she protests vehemently, "it is not all right. I went against the mission parameters and endangered your life. Had you not subdued me I would have killed you Stoppable-san. I almost took your life because I did not identify my target. My assurance in my assumptions of your skill nearly caused me to kill you. I have brought shame to Yamanouchi. I should commit seppuku to restore my honor."

"WHOA! No suicides in my house, please. Blood stains on the carpet are hard to get out," I explained before another thought occurred to me. "And no suicides outside of the house either. I'm alive and unhurt; so there is no honor needing to be restored."

"But I…"

"No buts," I retort. "Are you telling me that you're going to give up your mission just because you made a mistake? What do they teach at Yamanouchi? How to be a quitter? Do you want to really want to shame yourself and your school?"

I couldn't have hit her any harder if I had actually struck her.

"…no."

"Alright then, this discussion is over, and we're not going to talk about it anymore alright?"

"… Yes. I shall not make the same mistake again." she concedes.

"Good." 'Cause next time I might not be so lucky.' /Yeah that was too close for my tastes./

I slump on the couch with the blade still at my side while Shego is looking at us with a clearly amused expression.

"Life never gets dull around you does it?" She half asks half teases.

"Nope. Boredom is not allowed within a three mile radius around me." I try to sound funny but tiredness seeps in my voice. The adrenaline is clearing and my muscles are twitching from the sudden movements. I didn't exactly have time to warm up before springing into action.

"You look tired Ron. Don't you want to go to bed?" Shego asks.

"Hmmm? Yeah, I guess a little shuteye wouldn't hurt, this whole day has been… intense to say the least."

"Yeah, I suppose it was," Shego says remembering her own outburst earlier today. "You go on to sleep Ronald. I'll keep your little friend here some company until she eases up."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Hey Yori, where're you staying for the night?"

Said kunoichi snaps out of her guilt induced trance to answer me.

"Oh? I am… I was supposed to remain near you at all times, so I was going to ask you if I could possibly stay here, but if you do not wish that I can sleep outside."

I waved off her worries with a tired hand. "It's no problem Yori, you can take my parents room, I'll see you in the morning ladies. G'night."

I drag myself like a zombie to my room. Rufus is still sleeping just like when I left earlier. I swear his ability to sleep through anything gets on my nerves sometimes.

I change in my pajama and collapse onto bed. Damn what a day it was….

* * *

_I'm standing atop of a hill overlooking a river. A huge river. A woman is standing a few feet ahead of me. Her small frame is adorned by a light pink kimono with a cherry blossom design. Even from here I can tell that the cloth is something akin to silk, but not quite._

_Her long silky hair is caressed by the wind as she looks over the river. Even though I can't see her face from here I can tell that she's at peace._

_I follow her gaze to the river. Far away from here, along the water course, there's a man. He's too far for me to make anything out of him. He's looking at the stream as well, waiting for something to happen. But what?_

_My curiosity is sated when the river explodes in a geyser. A deafening roar pierces the sky as that… thing emerges from the water. A snake the size of a mountain._

_One, two, three… eights heads? What the hell is that thing?_

_"Yamata-no- Orochi," the woman says. Her voice sounds familiar and for a moment I think that she's speaking to me, but she's not. I'm invisible to her. "Is it that time again?"_

_On the riverbank the man stands still. The sight in front of him apparently doesn't scare him._

_The beast makes his way toward the man, its intentions very clear in its multiple stares. There is no doubt that the snakes intends to feast on the lone man._

_Run. Turn around and run as fast as you can._

_But he doesn't run._

_He unsheathes his swords and waits for the monster to reach him. Is he insane? Does he want to fight that thing? No one could possibly take that thing on, much less win against it._

_But it doesn't matter to him._

_The man waits for the snake like a rock would. Strong, steady and unmovable._

_The creature is finally close enough to strike and doesn't hesitate in the slightest. I brace myself for the unavoidable show of gore that's about to take place._

_A single swift movement. No hesitations and no doubts. The man swings his sword and the thing screams in pain and rage. The head that tried to strike the man is flying away, severed from the rest of its body._

_Mayhem ensues._

_The beasts attack is vicious, relentless, merciless, and more than everything else, pointless. Dancing like a storm the man avoids every single strike. As opposed to the beasts attack every swing of his blade is rewarded by a jet of blood and another head falling to the ground._

_The battle is a thing of legends. No human can take on such a creature and my opinion still stands. That man cannot be human. Simple as that._

_The whole thing couldn't have taken more than a minute. The beast is dead on the ground and its blood has turned the river red._

_Without further ado the warriors turns around and walks towards us. To her._

_"Sister. How unusual to see you here at this time. I thought you didn't care for this sight," he states with a deep voice._

_"I neither like it nor dislike, nii-sama," answers the woman. "It has to be done every time and you accomplish your task quite well."_

_"Hmpf. Even our dear little brother could handle this after doing it so many times. I should ask him to take my place from time to time."_

_"Stop calling her like that. She is a woman, you know."_

_"Well, she does share her taste in women with me tough. That makes her my brother in my book."_

_"… She would not accept anyway. She is not like you. She does not enjoy the battles."_

_"Not the battle in itself, but she has a thing for blood. Shame for that. She does have the potential. She is the one who took more from our father after all. Any news on his whereabouts by the way?" he asks concerned. The woman shakes her head._

_"No. I have looked form him everywhere. I could not find him in any of the nine reigns."_

_"Really? Have you asked Mother about him?"_

_The woman glares at his brother._

_"Did you expect me to set foot in that filthy place? Father has no reason to go back there. He sealed the entrance himself. No one can access Yomi without his consent."_

_"Indeed nobody does. But as for his reasons I don't quite agree with you. He still loves her, you know?"_

_"… Sometimes I wonder about that. How can he still love her? Why does he go to such lengths for her? She gave him nothing but sorrow and tears." The woman retorts._

_"Again, sister, I do not quite agree with you. She gave him three children he loves dearly. No matter what happens between them this truth will not change. He could no sooner cease to love her than he does you. Regardless, if you do not wish to face our mother I will do it myself."_

_"How?" the woman asks. "Nobody but Father can break the seal."_

_The man laughs in response._

_"Do not look down on me sister dear. I am our father's son after all. If anyone can break through besides him it is me." The woman sighs at her brothers antics._

_"There is no way I can talk you out of it, is there?"_

_"No, no way at all. Wish me luck sister. I'm going to Hell," he finishes with a tone of childlike excitement in his voice._

_"Good luck Brother. Might our father's light shine upon you in your darkest hour."_

_The man nods in gratitude and walks away. The woman keeps looking at his back until he's out of sight._

_"…Good luck, Susanoo."_

* * *

'Weird. My dreams are getting weirder lately, weirder than usual at least. I really should stop sleeping with the Lotus blade. Who were those people anyway? I'm sure I've heard those names before. Definitely Japanese. Yori might know something more,' I think to myself as I slowly wake to the infernal rising sun.

'What time is it? Hmm. I'd better get up and have some breakfast ready. I wonder If the girls are already up.'

I make my way to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast but someone has already beaten me to the punch.

"Morning Yori, I would ask why are you up so early but I think its' kinda obvious," I state nodding towards the skillet in her hand. "Did you sleep alright?"

"Stoppable-san, good morning, and yes did manage to sleep for a little while. Thank you. I hope you do not mind if I have already started breakfast. Shego-san told me that you usually cook every meal when you are home, but I thought I could at least repay you your hospitality with this small gesture."

"Oh. You didn't have to do that, but thanks anyway. I actually enjoy cooking so I don't mind taking care of it. Hey this stuff looks good."

We ate in silence. It was way too early for Shego to be up and about if she didn't have any nightmares. And if she did she would have already been down here smelling the food. I'll make something for her later.

"Whew. That was delicious Yori. Thank you very much."

"You are very welcome Stoppable-san," she says smiling. "About last night…"

"I thought we made clear that it was a closed case Yori." I cut her off before she starts thinking about needing to restore her honor again.

"We did, but I forgot to apologize properly. Please allow me to at least convey how sorry I am," she pleads.

"I really don't like that you keep thinking about this, but if it makes you feel better…."

She stands up and walk around the table were I'm sitting before she promptly drops onto her knees, bowing lowly with her forehead touching the ground.

"Stoppable-san, I am sorry for entering your home without your consent, and for attacking you last night. Please accept my apologies."

I don't like her kneeling in front of me for any reason, but if in her mind her honor requires it I'll at least do this properly.

"Apologies accepted, now please stand up. No friend of mine will ever have to bow to me inside my home." She stands up smiling, finally relieved that things are as they should have been from the beginning. "Anyway would you mind explaining to me why Sensei thought he needed to send me a bodyguard? I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I can take care of myself."

"I noticed that," she replies, "but even though you have exceeded my expectations with your performance last night, things are moving in a manner we cannot predict. Old enemies of Yamanouchi have begun moving again without apparent reason. More than one at the same time. This is not normal after so many years of inactivity. Sensei believes that someone is leading them against us, and that you may be a potential target due to your association with the school and the fact that you wield a powerful artifact like the Lotus Blade."

"Ugh. More shit blowing my way, as if I didn't have already enough on my plate as it is. Ah well there is an upside though."

"Which is?"

"The number of pretty girls in the area is increasing by the minute." I tease.

"It is? Why is that… oh." She understands and blushes prettily. Damn, I'm good!

"Changing topic… Yori does the name Susanoo rings any bell?"

"Susanoo? He is the God of Storms in the Japanese mythology. He is the son of the Creator Izanagi and the slayer of the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi. His full name his Tatehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto."

"Does he have two sisters or a sister and a brother?"

"Yes he does. His sister Amaterasu-ō-mi-kami is the Goddess of the Sun, while his brother Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto is the God of the Moon. Why do you wish to know about them?"

"… Because I've dreamt about them."

"You did? Do you usually dream about ancient deities?" she asks lightly. I can tell she's teasing me.

"No, but I started having weird dreams after I called the Lotus Blade last week. I tried to ask her but she wouldn't answer me anything about it." /Typical woman/

"Oh, Stoppable-san, you say that as if the Blade actually spoke to you," she says not bothering to hide her amusement.

"She does."

_*CRASH*_

The plate she was putting into the sink falls to the ground shattering and Yori is staring at me as if she saw a ghost.

"The Blade… speaks to you?"

"Uhm.. Yeah? Since the Prom night I can her voice calling me. Usually it's just a song in the back of my mind, but when I focus or when I fight I can hear her words more clearly. Last night she was pushing me to… well, kill you. I suppose that it isn't exactly normal is it?"

"No?" she answer-asks paling considerably. "Even Toshimuru-sama never wrote anything about the blade communicating with him."

"Ah. Well that gives a new meaning to never being normal, doesn't it?"

"Uh. That is… how would you Americans say? The understatement of the century? I think I should inform Sensei about this new development. May I have something to write with?"

I gave her the pen I had left on the kitchen table and she left for the back garden to write her letter.

'Well Stoppable-san, looks like that things around you aren't going to get boring anytime soon. Damn I hate it when it goes like that.'

* * *

Author Note:

First and foremost: I've found a betaaaa!... Just kidding, the beta found me. Can I have a round of applause for Kenju who edited this chapter (except this author note) making it look much better and more readable?

Thanks a bunch Kenju! And to RGZ Archer for his silent help.

About this chapter: We found out who the intruder was. And daccu65 gets the cookie for guessing right. Damn, man. Do you have to read through my plot THAT easily? I'm not doing a good enough job yet. Anyway thanks for your review. And to everyone else who bothered to read this story so far and leave a review. Thanks a lot!

Coming next the last chapter of this Arc.


	52. Leaving

**Chapter 32 – Leaving** (edited/posted 06.25.2011) - Beta: Kenju

* * *

Sensei's answer arrived the following day, and to say that he was unsettled is an understatement. He pressed the necessity for me to travel to Yamanouchi as soon as possible. There were only three weeks left until the end of the school year though so he wouldn't have wait too much longer anyways.

Yori's arrival in Middleton went rather smoothly. Meaning no one even noticed she was there. The only people who even knew she existed aside from me and Rufas were Shego and Kim.

Speaking of Kim, she was a little miffed about Yori staying at my house for some reason. It's strange since the last time they met they got along fairly well. I wonder why that suddenly changed.

…

Oh who am I kidding? She was jelling like nobody's business. She was jelling the last time but I was too stupid to even notice. Stupid, friggin' idiot.

Shoot, every time she looks at me when I'm talking to any other girl she has this piercing glare that I swear should set said girl or woman on fire. It's flattering and scary at the same time. On the other hand it is rather useful since it keeps most of the fan-girls from school at bay. Only a small handful can overcome both their own shyness and Kim's Death Glare. The few that are able to survive the KDG however then have to deal with Tara, and then the rest of my friends. So far the locker incident was the most notable if only 'breach'. All in all things are going rather well.

Two weeks flew by thanks to pop quizzes and training with Yori and Shego. The former villainess was more than happy to have another skilled opponent to spar with and a female… acquaintance to talk to during the day.

On the plus side, two weeks of pushing the limits of my fighting abilities and practicing the Art had left Yori dumbfounded. In only a week I managed to achieve what most can only hope to obtain in years. No wonder she didn't think it was me the night she arrived at my house. With her tips and assistance I improved a little more and now 'Fading' takes me less than five seconds as long as I'm not in the middle of a fight or at the center of attention.

Yori's fighting skills are way over mine of course; it was mostly luck that saved my life when she attacked me. With her and Shego's help though sparring or just plain honest advice I can actually say my skills have improved a great deal. I still have a long way to go to reach Yori's level, but she says that my efforts and improvements have encouraging her to double her efforts in her own training. Joy, looks like I won't be catching up with her anytime soon.

Surprisingly Kim actually joined us a few times. Her month long 'break' might have had a negative effect on her physique but two weeks with Yori put her back in shape and now she can kick my ass again.

Why is it I only seem to surround myself with girls that can kick my ass? Scratch that, I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that one.

Whenever Kim would come over though, Shego would always disappear into her room. Something that made Kim rather happy I might add. Shego had switched sides out of convenience and she's nowhere close to befriending her former nemesis. At this point I'm honestly hoping to find my house still standing when I come back from Japan.

I've sparred a few times with Kim, something I haven't done since we were little kids, and while she won ten times out of ten, I held my ground pretty well considering the fact I'm missing an eye and one of my arms isn't suited for combat. I can proudly say that I can indeed kick ass. Boo-Yah!

Even Rufus took part in our training and I swear that I saw the little guy Fade from time to time. Rufus is there anything you can't do?

Honestly, sometimes I think that we are secretly ruled by a shadow government of naked mole rats and Rufus is one of their top agent's or something. But then you look at him eating cheese and Nacos and you understand that they are too smart as a species to bother with that kind of crap.

I did manage to sneak out to play some Zombie Mayhem at Felix's a few times, something that irked Yori to no end since she's supposed to be my bodyguard. But hey, if the most badical ninja currently stateside can't find me then nobody can. This flattering comment usually quiets her down with a barely noticeable 'ninja blush'. The fact that it's also true is just a minor thing.

I eventually did call Wade and we cleared up the air between us. The team's tech guru was truly sorry about what happened and vowed to always consider the consequences of his action from that day onward. I suppose that even his hacking stunts will suffer a few setbacks because of this. He's also trying to overcome his agoraphobia and actually leaves his house at least once a day. It's good that even he is finally growing up.

The results for our finals arrived the last week and man was Kim surprised. Her grades didn't suffer like her body had from last month's disaster, but mine skyrocketed, nothing below B+. The Ron Man rules! I managed to pass the year smoothly so sayonara Junior Year, Senior Year here we come!

Of course the last week was extremely hectic with the preparations for my trip to the Land of the Morning Sun. First I had Betty turn off the chip she had implanted in my neck with my permission, she didn't like it but a deal's a deal. Then Wade flooded the web with fake news of my travels to everywhere but Japan, and to avoid being noticed Yori suggested that I have my hair dyed black. We saved that for the night before leaving.

Wade pulled out one last gift before I left: a pair of sunglasses worthy of James Bond himself.

"You see, Ron," the young tech wiz from the screen of the Kimmunicator began, "these sunglasses are extra special. The frame contains a micro-camera that displays images from an almost one hundred and eighty degree radius onto left lens. So basically as long as you're wearing them it's almost like having your full sight again."

"Wade! This is badical beyond belief, but… did you use a Ray-Ban® to make these?"

"Weeell… you didn't expect me to make something this good from some leftover plastic from Smarty Mart did you?"

"Hey! I resent that statement. Smarty Marty is a great and wonderful place," I fired back.

"Sooo…you don't want them?"

"I never said anything like that," I added quickly.

"Thought so but one word of advice, there is one small drawback to this wonderful piece of tech. Things on the screen will look farther than they really are, be careful if you use them in a fight."

'Objects are closer than they appear, why does that sound so familiar?' A montage of Mr Barken's drivers-ed class flashed across my mind forcing me to suppress a shudder.

"Will do, thanks again Wade." The teen waves me off.

"Think nothing of it, I enjoyed the challenge. Well I'm off for my daily walk."

"Daily walk? My God Wade, are you perhaps, maybe, trying to be an athlete?" I teased.

"Ha, ha, very funny Ronald. I'll see you when you come back from Yamanouchi," Wade replied without missing a beat.

"What? How do you know where…?"

But Wade was gone already. The last thing I saw was his smirking face before the line was closed. Damn geniuses and their resourcefulness. That's the kind of knowledge that puts your life at risk.

* * *

My folks came back from their trip two days before the end of school. They were…surprised to find a wanted criminal in their attic…and a teenage ninja in their bed. I can't begin to image why…/I can!/

So dad saw fit to give me 'The Talk'.

"Daaaad. I'm a healthy teenager with a working internet connection. I happen to know how 'A' goes into 'B', I also know that 'A' works wonderfully in 'C' and 'D' and lets not even begin about 'E' and 'F'. I don't think you're old enough for that yet. Or maybe you're too old. Dunno."

I left my father with his mouth hanging and a sudden interest for the wonders of world wide communications and video streaming. I've got to remember to put a better password on my PC. I would never want him to…no, no. Bad mental image, don't go there.

Shego just laughed the whole time while mom glared at her. She doesn't like Shego one bit. But can you blame a mother for not liking a person who used to make repeated attempts to roast your son? I think not and so I won't.

I had a long talk with mom about Shego, and while she still doesn't like her she has accepted her presence and will at least be civil with her. I know that it's an effort on her part to get to know me better, trying to understand the world I live in and all. I won't admit it to anybody, but I actually cried when she hugged me and told me again that she would support my decisions no matter what.

Our schoolmates of course threw a huge party for the end of the year and I went with Kim, Tara and Felix. Yori came as well but she pretended not to know me for appearances sake. A ninja bodyguard only works when nobody knows it's there. Bonnie was already there with Monique waiting for us. The two Queens of Middleton High were warming up to each other it seemed, especially now that Bonnie dropped most of her bitchy attitude. Oh, she still has a sharp tongue mind you, but she has kinda... mellowed out a bit.

I saw her talking with Brick that evening and they really seemed to be friendly to each other. An improvement in their relationship if you ask me. She might have cut him out from the physical aspect but they are talking to each other. TALKING for Christ's sake, this is Bonnie, the girl who never talked to her boyfriends unless it was giving them commands like 'sit', 'paw', 'roll over' and 'speak'. Oh and 'Carry my shopping bags'.

Teddy-bear was at the party like most of the football team. He was with a black haired girl wearing a skirt so short it might as well have been called a belt. What's the point of even wearing that kind of thing anyway? She eyed me the whole time until her boyfriend noticed just who she was eating with her eyes. He tried to walk to me and face me but he must have met a stray ninja foot since he instead stumbled and smashed face first on a table of drinks. His embarrassment must have been stronger that his rage as he made himself scarce and I hadn't seen him since. His 'girlfriend' though, made sure to be always in my line of sight and always with a great deal of leg showing. She's gifted to say the least, it's no wonder Teddy-poo is so possessive of her.

I managed to avoid any close encounters thanks to the barrier of girls surrounding me, though I'm pretty sure a few of my classmates cursed my name in many creative ways for keeping the best chicks for myself, but hey, I didn't ask for any of this. I enjoy it, but I didn't ask for it.

We went our separate ways after the party, but not before Tara gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek. She's keeping a low profile thankfully, I'm leaving for a month and I don't want to leave her here to deal with the rumors and the gossip rings without me. There are going to be a lot of those if we are going to date when I get back. No need to unleash the dogs if I can't be here with her.

Surprisingly Kim didn't chew Tara for her… overfriendly behavior, though she didn't exactly look happy either. They must have settled their differences though since I saw them chatting animatedly all through the evening.

There are so many things going on right now that I can't wait to leave for a while and just get away from it all. I love my friends dearly, but sometimes they can be too much to handle at the same time.

* * *

Finally the day to leave for Japan arrived. Here I am making the last minute preparations before leaving for the airport. My hair's been dyed black to blend in better with a nation where black is the predominating hair color.

"Everything ok Ron?" Kim asks while helping me with my luggage.

"Yeah, I've double checked everything so I know I'm not leaving anything behind. Are you sure it's not a problem to take care of Rufus? I can take him with me, but there's no cheese in the diet up there. I'm not sure if he can withstand a month of rice, fish and vegetables."

"Don't worry, it's no big. Rufus is a friend and the Tweebs always love to have him around. He's their favorite test pilot. It'll be a blast right Rufus?"

"Uh-uh uh-uh, fun!" Rufus isn't too happy about being left behind, but he loves his cheese too much to stay away from it for so long. Plus I'll probably be spending most of the time either training or trying to find out more about the Lotus Blade and those weird dreams.

"I'm leaving Olly in your care too Kim, I've configured her to let you ride her without me if you need to."

"Thanks, but I don't think I'll have the chance, I'll be at Cheer Camp for a couple of weeks remember? I will be back in time to make sure Shego doesn't burn down your house during 'that time of the month' though so don't worry."

"Yeeeah, that's a relief. You're a life saver Kim." And I meant it. Leaving Shego alone was my single biggest worry. Now, with both my parents at home and Kim dropping by from time to time, I know that everything will be just fine. Hopefully.

"No big, Ron. I've kicked her ass on a regular basis for the last three years now. I'm actually hoping she steps out of the line so that I can blow some steam." I laugh at the image of the two women in a catfight, but then I remember that if that is going to happen then the likelihood of finding my house still standing next month is pretty slim.

"Yeah, well, just make sure you don't encourage her to overstep her boundaries, ok?"

"What? Ron, do you honestly think I would provoke her into a fight on purpose?" My only response is a raised eyebrow. "…. Oh, all right fine, I promise."

"Good girl."

* * *

I leave for the airport with Yori and nobody else. There's no need for any tearful goodbyes since I won't be away for that long. Kim's last hug was bone-crushing though. She's developed an unhealthy attachment to me over the last few weeks. The time apart will be a good thing for the both of us I think. I will admit that I was surprised that Shego of all people hugged me when I said goodbye to her in the privacy of her room.

As the plane takes off I think about everything I leave here.

Leaving everything behind is actually a relief. Too many things have happened around here lately and I really do need a break from everything. Yup, a month at the peak of a mountain looks extremely appealing all of a sudden. Light food, clean air, a little exercise every day, but hell, compared to the last two months it's going to be a vacation.

It certainly can't get any worse, can it?

…..

Naah, it can possibly get any worse, probably will too.

/…/

* * *

Here ends the Alive Arc.

Coming next: the Kyoto War Arc. Be ready for some action cause there's going to be a lot less chatting and much more kicking. A few major OC characters are going to make their appearances while Kim, Shego and Tara will be pretty much cut out until Ron returns to Middleton.

For those who are interested with the end of next arc we will reach around 20% of what I'm planning to write, so right now we are around 13-15% of the whole story. Eventual Spin Offs and Crossover/Sequels not included.


	53. Japan

**Chapter 33 –Japan** (Edited by Kenju 07.22.11)**  
**

*Whew* We are finally here. Japan, Nippon, the land of the rising sun, the proud motherland of Martial Arts, ninjas and kickass videogames. Whatever you want to call it. Damn it's good to be back here.

Last time I was… summoned here I had no idea what I was in store for. Ninja schools, Mystical swords and… MONKEYS! It was a traumatic experience overall, but it was well worth every nightmare it caused since it's also the reason I met the smokin' hot ninja babe that's currently walking besides me.

Yori is… one of a kind even among the students of Yamanouchi. She's usually silent and the few times she speaks it's always to say something meaningful and intelligent. So very much unlike most of the girls I know. Her charming composure can be compared to a flower, a flower that's stubbornly growing atop of a mountain. Prideful and graceful at the same time.

Honestly, it must be tough for her being a ninja. Since the prerequisite is to be unnoticed it must have taken her a lot of effort to master the Art to her current proficiency. Why do I say this? Cause she doesn't go unnoticed at all. After we retrieved out luggage and made our way outside the airport I counted at least thirty people ogling her until we went out of sight, a good number of girls included among their number.

She's not entirely free from blame in this however. The sleeveless white top and light blue skirt she's currently wearing _really_ compliment her figure. It took a lot of effort not to count myself among those thirty; she deserves some respect on my part.

Still it's a bloody challenge.

"Is everything all right, Stoppable-san?"

"Uh?" I answer intelligently. "Oh, yeah. Ah ah."

"Are you sure? You seem rather… tense." There is no trace of teasing in her voice, so either she's running for the Academy Award for best actress or she's genuinely clueless about my…. err…predicament.

"Positive, I'm good; really, I'm good, I just couldn't help noticing that… is it just me or is everyone staring at us? Do you think they recognize me?" I asked trying to change the topic form her to me.

She looks around and she must have met more than a few gazes cause I saw heads suddenly turn around to avoid being busted for ogling.

"You… are most certainly right, Stoppable-san. Yet they do not seem to be staring at you …is there something wrong with my appearance? Most of our watchers are looking at me rather than you… though I do not sense any ill intent."

All right, she's pulling my strings now I know it, she's got to be. There is absolutely no way someone could be THAT oblivious… right? Seeing her confused and slightly worried expression however I came to one conclusion.

Damn she's frigging serious.

"Ah, Yori? I don't think there's anything wrong with you, quite the opposite actually."

"Oh? What do you mean by that, Stoppable-san?" she asks with sincere curiosity in her voice.

"Err? Uh. I think that these people are staring at you because they find you… attractive?" Don't ask me how but it came out more like a question than a statement. She seemed to ponder my words before speaking again.

"Hmmm, perhaps my choice of clothing is too…eye-catching?" she asked before grabbing the hem of her skirt and raising it slightly, showing another inch of toned legs. _/DAMN YOU, GIRL!/_

By now the color of my face must have reached a particular shade of red cause she's looking at me oddly.

"Ehm, I don't think it has anything to do with your _clothes_ Yori. More like with…the contents," I stammer out.

"I am not sure what you mean Stoppable-san. Is there something wrong with my physique?" she asked furrowing her brows in confusion.

I'm about to answer that there is definitely **nothing** wrong with her body when I catch the barest hint of a smirk at the corner of her mouth. This…this…minx!

Though not sure why, some part deep in the back of my mind KNOWS that Shego is somehow responsible for this.

Finally noticing that I've caught onto her games she begins laughing with that melodious voice of hers.

"Ahahah. Stoppable-san, you should have seen your face."

Now I _know_ Shego is behind this.

A few tears escapes her eyes and the rage I've been building over the last fifteen seconds melts away like snow under the sun. There is no way I can hold anything against her when she laughs like that. She got me hook, line and sinker. I can't really blame her for my cluelessness. _/She's good. I'll give her that./_

"Har har har Yori, fine, go ahead and have fun at my expenses. Take advantage of the fact that I find you so damn hot, will ya?" I end crossing my arms over my chest. Through my little tirade our position swapped since she's the one blushing madly now.

"H-h-hot?" she stammers.

"Yeah, what are you surprised about? Weren't you just toying with me right now cause I think you're attractive?" Now her shade of red can compete with Kim's mane. Seriously, what did she think I thought of her?

"B…but. I was just… kidding. I mean…as a joke? I have never thought that you could find me really…attractive?"

All right, either she's playing me again or she's genuine this time. I don't want make a fool out of myself twice in a row so I'd better be blunt about it.

"Yori, you're kidding me right? How could I not find you attractive? How could _any_ straight guy not find you attractive? Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?" _/Cause I've been definitely looking at you./_

"I-I-I…" It seems like she's at loss for words, frozen on the spot with her bags on the ground. Should I suppose that I'm the winner of this impromptu flirting session? _/A Boo-yah for the King of Clowns/_

"Never mind Yori, don't think too much about it or your cute little head might burst into flames if you keep blushing like that. Shouldn't we be like, going somewhere?"

She recomposes herself at least partially, taming her blush to an acceptable degree before speaking.

"You are right, off course. The bus for the village at the base of the mountain will be leaving shortly. We should really be hurrying."

Without further ado she takes off towards the bus stop, leaving me a good couple of steps behind her. _/The right distance to take a good look at her lower assets./_ Ok, one that was lame, and two don't even go there dude. _/I thought it was pretty good myself, and don't you try to feed me that shit. We're one and the same. Cut with the goody-goody attitude. I know what you want./_ Maybe you do, maybe you don't. We might be one but we are _not_ the same. _/True. I'm the better one./_ Oh really? _/ Yup./_

"Stoppable-san!" Yori calls for me as I have walked past both her and our bus. Whoops.

"Oh, uh sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention. I was… lost in thought."

She doesn't ask what kind of thoughts I lost myself into, but if the slight tinge of red on her cheeks is any indication I think she has a pretty good idea.

We both climb aboard the bus and a few minutes later we're heading toward the small village at the base of the mountain. With a three hours trip ahead of us I engage a conversation with myself. It's not like I can start a conversation with Yori about a secret Ninja school or anything of that sort in public. And as much as I hate to say it, I really don't know Yori all that well. I cant think of a single thing to talk to her about.

\So? What was up with that 'King of Clowns' thing?\ I ask my Jester counterpart.

_/Hmm? Oh that. Well, the blade keeps calling us that. King. But king of what? It's not like we're the best at anything besides crackin' a joke. Isn't it fitting that a person made of a Buffoon and a Jester combined hold the title of King of Clowns?/_

\I dunno. But honestly I wouldn't go around bragging about that kind of title.\

_/Aww why not? What's the worse that could happen? Someone laugh at us? Newsflash Buffoon, they've being doing that for the better part of the last sixteen years. And besides wouldn't that just prove my point in the first place?/_

\I guess. Still I would've preferred another title if I had to pick. You know…something actually cool.\

_/Oh yeah, like what? C'mon what other defining feature do we have, uh?/_

\Err…lets see, I can summon a badical sword that can morph into any weapon right?\

_/Well that's not actually our ability, is it? It's more like The Blade granting us the right to call her./_

\Damn… King of Games?\

_/Don't think so, Felix still kicks our ass at Zombie Mayhem on a regular basis. And Rufus is way ahead of us at Fortress. Plus I'm pretty sure the title is already taken. You know that… Yugi kid? So unless you want Kazuki Takahashi to sue our asses, no./_

\So? Do you really think he'd care? He's a fictional character!\

_/… Look who's talking./_

\What was that?\

_/Never mind, random thoughts. Anyway she should come up with something original./_

\King of Marinating?\

_/Wasn't this about trying to come up with something that was actually cool?/_

\Oh, right…what else have I been called before?\

_/Uhm...loser? Wimp? Sidekick? Good for nothing? Five times winner of the Naco inhaling contest?/_

\Ok fine you made your point. King of Clowns is the best title we can come up with. Damn I can't believe I'm having an argument with myself.\

_/Oh? That's actually pretty common really. People argue with themselves all the time. Some people even do it out loud. Nah, you only need to be worried about loosing an argument with yourself. I think that rates pretty high on the weird o' meter./_

\...We will never speak of this again...\

_/Sounds good./_

The rest of the trip is mostly silent, except for a few casual conversations with Yori, but most of the time her nose is buried in some book I don't recall seeing before. Judging by the neon pink cover I don't think its ninja related but I could be wrong, you never know. Based on her occasional warm smile and blush it must be some kind of romance novel. Weird, I never pictured Yori as the kind of girl who would read that kind of stuff…yet at the same time it fits her perfectly.

At some point in the last hour she has fell asleep. I know she's supposed to be my bodyguard but I don't have the heart to wake her up. She spent a lot of her time in the past forty-eight hours planning our trip and supervising everything so she deserves her rest. Besides I'm more than capable of handling myself for such a short period of time.

Without her noticing her head came to rest on my shoulder. I push the few strands of hair that had fallen on her face behind her ear and smiled. Damn she's cute. Who could possible believe that this angelic looking girl is a trained assassin? Not me, that's for sure. Yet it only adds to her beauty. Ah, I might as well enjoy the contact and rest a little myself. No falling asleep tough, she'd never forgive me if I fell asleep while she wasn't on her guard. She literally drilled into me the whole concept of continuous vigilance during her stay at my house, to the point that my awareness is basically always on.

The first few days were exhausting. Keeping you guard up as if someone was out to kill you without a moments notice tends to burn you energy damn fast. However it happens to be borderline paranoia, something I'm good at.

I'm proud to say that because of her heavy training I can tell what's happening around me within a three meter radius. I hear a fat guy snoring two seats on the left behind me. A woman two seats on his right is reading some kind of book…it must be some kind of erotic novel if her constant squirming in her seat and the faint scent of arousal reaching my nose are any indication.

….

Holy shit. I can actually tell if a woman is aroused without even looking at her. How cool is that?

_/King of Pervs?/_ Interjects the Jester.

\Shut up. It's not like you dislike it either. And didn't we just drop the subject?\

_/Yeah. But I couldn't resist that one. You are way too easy to pick on./_

\Gee you think I don't know? _I_ was the one being picked on most of his life.\

_/I was there too, y'know? We might not have known at the time but I've always been there. Just a step beyond the line of sanity. It took us almost losing everything we cherished to realize our true potential./_

\King of Clowns?\

_/Yeah…whatever that could possibly mean…/_

The bus is slowing down, clearly because we are reaching our stop. It's no longer time for a discussion with myself so I nudge Yori awake with a soft push from my shoulder. I can see her open her eyes slowly seemingly unaware of where she is. She moves her head to look at me and then she finally remembers what's going on and realizes her position.

"Ah, Stoppable-san? I…did I fall asleep? Kami I was supposed to be vigilant at all times I…"

"Relax Yori no big, it's all right. You were tired and I was wide awake and fully focused."

"But…"

"Later, we've reached our stop. From what I remember we've got _long_ walking trail to discuss our shortcomings. C'mon let's get movin'."

"Right." She finally kicks into business mode and casts aside her doubts as we gather our bags just in time for the bus to stop.

* * *

The path to the top of the mountain is just as steep as I remembered it. Still the sight is wonderful, absolutely breathtaking. Yori is a few steps ahead of me something I don't mind since she know the path better than me. Also due to the constant incline of the path I'm treated to a nice view of her derriere the whole time.

Suddenly my attention is drawn to something nearby. I can't see anything out of the ordinary but my coward-sense is tingling. If we were anywhere else I would be freaked out, but since we are already on the grounds of Yamanouchi I'm fairly sure we are being watched by friends.

"Uh Yori'?" I call for her attention. She stops and turns with a questioning look. "I'm pretty sure that I don't need to worry about this but I can sense at least three different presences nearby. Some of our friends I suppose?"

She stares at me with her mouth slightly open. Did I say something wrong?

"D…you can see them, Stoppable-san?" she asks wide eyed.

"Uh…no. I just think I feel something from their general direction. A…disturbance in the atmosphere…"

_/Great, now we sound like a Jedi./_

"For example," I continue, "there's somebody behind us hidden by that tree over there and I can sense somebody on a tree branch at my right, plus…I'm not quite sure but I think there's somebody a hundred meters ahead of us but it's still too far for me to be sure."

Silence. Yori is looking at me with a bewildered expression on her face.

"Stoppable-san you…" she shakes her head as if trying to get rid of a thought, "will you ever cease to amaze me?"

"Uh…I don't know, what are you talking about. Did I do something strange?"

"Besides spotting three out of five trained shinobi hiding in an unfamiliar land?"

Three out of five?

"You mean I missed two of them? Crap, where are they?" I ask while looking around.

"That is not the point Stoppable-san. You have spotted three more than you were supposed to."

"Uuuuh, I don't know what to say. Shouldn't I have said anything?" Why am I feeling like a student ratting out his classmates cheating on a test?

"It is not that. You have done well by telling us that you are capable of sensing our guards, it means that they have to train even harder than before, but I can't blame them. There was no flaw in their Art. It is your awareness that is outstanding. For a person that has a little over a month worth of training your results are… I do not think that I know of an adjective adequate to describe how much outside of scale your improvement is."

"Oh. Ah ah. Geez. I don't know what to say… I'm not used to actually being good at something… it's kinda unsettling. Ah, am I supposed to say something?" Well did I just sound stupid or what?

"Oh, You need not to worry. Sometimes we are more surprised by our successes than our failures. As long as you do not become complacent in your training it is fine."

"Right. That's wise. …shall we continue on? I don't suppose that these guys are going to show themselves just because I've spotted them are they?"

"No, Stoppable-san," she answered, "they will not move from their position until they are required to do so."

We resumed our trek toward the 'School hidden in the Mountain' and after a couple of hours of walking we are finally in front of the gates of Yamanouchi. Damn the place is as impressive as I remembered it. The imposing gate unlocks as we approach.

I can't see them but I feel at least four different people staring at us. This is creepy and cool at the same time. Through the opening gate I spot a known figure waiting for us. The white beard is a spot on giveaway. I don't need other details to recognize the Venerable Sensei.

"Child, welcome home," he says to Yori then turns to me, "Stoppable-san welcome back. You honor us with you presence once more."

"The honor is all mine Sensei," I reply in a bow, "I'm glad to be back, I missed this place and its people."

"That is good to hear Stoppable-san, please come inside. We have been awaiting your arrival for quite some time. There is much we need to discuss, but I am certain you do not require this old man to tell you that."

"I'm looking forward to it Sensei. A lot of stuff has been happening lately and I can't make sense of it. Things have always been busy, but it's like all of a sudden everything went off at once. I really could use some of your guidance. I don't know where I'm standing and I don't have a clue where I'm headed."

The old man chuckled softly.

"Very few do Stoppable-san," he responded. "And even fewer are willing to admit it. Realizing that you are lost is the first step in finding the way back to your path."

"… I guess you're Sensei, but I also know that I can't do it alone."

"Very intuitive Stoppable-san. It is good that you realize this on your own. If you continue this course you will put this old man out of a job before the sun sets."

"Trust me; that sun will set many more times before anyone could do without your guidance Sensei if ever." The old man stops in his tracks and turns to face me again.

"…You have changed a great deal Stoppable-san. Perhaps too much a such a short span of time. I am well aware that being thrown in a difficult situation might nudge toward one's improvement I do not think that this is quite the case. Enlighten me Stoppable-san. What turned the child I met just a year ago into this man standing before me now?"

I sigh deeply.

"Like I said…a lot of things have happened actually, a few that I can't even talk about since they involve people aside from me. You'll have to forgive me if I can't go into details right now. Nothing exactly earthshaking happened Sensei. I guess you could say that necessity forced me to face things I already knew about, namely my weaknesses and fears and other things I didn't know I had. My potential as a person, my potential as a warrior. I pulled a door open and was staring into a mirror whose reflection was not the one I'd expected to see. If that's a good thing or a bad thing I'm not sure of yet."

Sensei stared at me through barely open eyes, one eyebrow raised in a contemplative expression.

"I understand Stoppable-san. It is not my place to tell if the changes you are undergoing are for the better or for the worst. It is something that you and you alone must judge. What I can do, what Yamanouchi can do, is help you fulfill the metamorphosis. Which path should it take is your decision."

Ah, yes, responsibility. My bag to carry and my cart to push. Lovely.

"You must be tired, Stoppable-san," Sensei continues. "Please allow Yori-san to show you your room, we shall speak further tomorrow morning. What you need now is a warm bath, a nice dinner and a good night's sleep. I am sure that tomorrow you will be fit to discuss things in greater length."

I bow in gratitude.

"Hai, Sensei. Some food and a little sleep sounds really good in my book. I'm still jetlagged and more than a little hungry. How Yori manages to be all lively after the last forty-eight hours is beyond me."

"Oh, Stoppable-san," Yori interjects since I've mentioned her. "I am simply accustomed to long periods of time with little rest."

_/That and the fact you already slept a couple of hours riding up here./_

"Yeah, well I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it. Never mind, I'll gratefully take you up on your offer Sensei."

"Very well, Yori-san please show our guest to his quarters," pausing for a moment he then addresses me. "If you would be willing Stoppable-san, would you summon The Blade to your side? Having it remain at such a great distance after having guarded it for over a millennia is… disquieting."

"Ah, I see what you mean, give me a second. Yori would you mind taking a couple of steps back? The last time I summoned the Blade in your presence she tagged you as a threat. I don't know how she'll react if you're too close to me when I call her again."

Yori hastily put a few steps between us. As soon as she's far enough I open myself to the link and I let the song cry out to the front of my mind.

_**-Come.-**_

The light of the sun almost vanishes as if a thick cloud suddenly hid it from sight. The red mist is swirling around waiting for me to give a focus to the bloodlust already building inside my stomach.

- Not this time my Lady.-

_**-Pity.-**_

The Blade emerges from the ground much like before placing herself in my hand. As soon as the hilt makes contact the light is restored and the mist fades.

Suddenly around me all the ninjas are visible again. The killing intent emanating from the blade must have unsettled their control of the Art. They are all looking at me wide eyed. Yori, the closest person, is clutching her chest with a terrified expression. Only Sensei seems unaffected by the sudden blast of bloodlust except of a thick drop of sweat that's sliding from his forehead down his cheek.

I held the sword in front of him horizontally, one hand on the hilt, one hand on the flat of the blade. He picks it up with reverence.

- I leave you in his hands. He will treat you with care –

**- I know my King. He has always done so. –**

"Arigato, Stoppable-san. I will return it to the shrine for the time being. Yori-san please escort him to his room then come find me in my study after dinner."

"It shall be done, Sensei. This way Stoppable-san." She directs me to a close building, the same one where I slept the last time I was here.

I take a couple of steps before turning back and calling out to Sensei.

"Oh, and Sensei. The Blade's a 'she' not an 'it'."

"I beg your pardon?" Sensei asks without understanding the meaning of my words.

"The Blade is female, a woman. She doesn't like when she's referred to as a thing. Please treat her accordingly."

Sensei looks at me with eyes wide open before lowering his gaze to the sword. I swear that he's holding her like's she's a princess or someone along those lines.

_/Well, it felt good to get that kind of reaction out of him. The old man is too stiff for his own good./_

\Shut up before I stab you with a q-tip.\

Yori accompanies me to my room, the same as the last time I think before bowing and leaving to attend her own business.

Man I'm floored. I think that I'll follow Sensei's advice and get myself to bed ASAP. Tomorrow's gonna be a hell of a day I'm sure.


	54. Interlude Red Gone

**Interlude Red – Gone (Tales from home part 1)**

* * *

And so he's gone, I watch as the taxi takes him away from me once again. I know that he'll be safe and I know that he'll be back by the end of the month, but I can't help but miss him already. I'm so pathetic. For years I thought I didn't really need him, that he was just a friend, an accessory to all my accomplishments. How could I have been so stupid? How could I think that I could save the world without him? How could I think that there was a world to save without him?

For one month I thought he was dead and I barely held it together. Now I KNEW he was alive and was going to have to go _another_ month without him. The girl who can do anything huh? Yeah, sure, everything except do the right thing when it really mattered.

No more.

No more arrogance, no more blind self confidence. I can do anything, and just like anybody else that includes screw up. He taught me that, that I'm not invincible, I'm not unbeatable or untouchable. I'm just another human being, one with both talents and limitations. I won't allow the former to blind me anymore and I'm sure as hell not going to let the latter to break me, not again. No more guilt trips and no more feeling sorry for myself. He's gone and when he gets back he'll be stronger than before. He's already beyond my league now, light years above my level; when he gets back he's not going to need a broken doll haunted by nightmares, he's not going to need a scared little girl who second guesses everything she does, and he's not going to need someone that will hold him back.

He needs and equal, a partner…he needs the same thing I denied him being to me since our first mission.

I saw how much he's improved in the past month, since the day he came back. I barely recognized the man that stood over me that morning I was wallowing in my misery, the man who rescued me from myself. He was still the same old Ron but at the same time he was much more…polished. It was like he was a serpent who had shed its skin, growing and leaving behind what it no longer needed.

For more than a few days…I thought I was one of those things.

I saw him just grow up all of a sudden, cutting out his path in life without letting anyone dictate the terms or direction. I wondered if there was still place for me in his life or if I was just part of his past. Will he keep going at this rate, leaving me so far behind that I'm nothing but a memory? Will he forget everything we had together?

That simple thought kept me awake since I found out he was alive. It wasn't until mom brought him after a particularly bad nightmare, the night we shared a bed for the first time in seven years that I was able to shake that fear. The nights after that were just the same, no nightmares, no fears, just the most wonderful nights of my life. I felt so safe, loved, protected and I realized _that_ was why I had always been able to do anything. It wasn't simply because I had skills or talents, it was because Ron made me feel like everything was going to turn out alright, that no matter how desperate things became I was confident we would make it through.

Well…ok not _exactly_ the same. His touch had always been comforting, like a warm security blanket. Since he came back it became so much more than before. First it was relief, then it became warmth and finally that warmth bloomed into passion. Even now I still remember how it felt kissing him, straddling him, grinding my body against his. If he hadn't stopped me I don't know how things would have ended that morning.

That was the last time we shared my bed, and the first time my nightmares became dreams. I don't want to indulge in the memory, but let's just say that in those darker corners of my imagination he didn't stop me. The effects the following morning where telling to say the least, thank God he'd gone back to sleeping at his own home. I'm not exactly sure how I would have explained that to him given how shaky things were at the time.

And now he's gone again, leaving me here to deal with my messed up mind and raging hormones.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to do, what path I should take waiting for him to get back. Should I train and try to get stronger or should I try to find a different way to help him. To be honest…I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do. But I'm not scared anymore. He promised me that he would be there no matter what and I believe him. I'll always believe him from now on, I learned my lesson.

Now I won't look back anymore, he's going forward, wherever his path might take him and I won't do anything less myself. He challenged me to keep up with him and I'm not going to disappoint him, not again. It's time for me to move on.

Two days after he went to Japan I had to leave for Cheer Camp. It will be a good chance for me to get back into shape and deal with a few other loose ends. Namely one Tara King, the most recent love interest of my best friend turned crush Ron Stoppable.

How am I going to deal with her as a roommate knowing how bad I'm going to be jelling on her for getting with Ron? I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I owe Ron to at least try to be a good friend to his soon-be-girlfriend.

Even if it eats me up inside doing so.

* * *

The bus stops and we've finally arrived. Grabbing my bag I climb outside and follow the rest of the squad to the barracks where we're supposed to stay. I'm the last one to reach the wooden structure.

This place feels nostalgic. It reminds me so much of Camp Wannaweep…so much of Ron.

I'm not the only one who seems to be thinking this. The faraway look Tara's giving as she gazes around and takes everything in makes that plain as day.

"Missing him already?" I ask my blond teammate, my voice snapping her out of her reverie.

"Hm? Yeah, you too?" she asks timidly, trying not to look away when she answers me.

"I've missed him every day he wasn't with me for the last twelve years," I replied with a dark chuckle.

"…You never made it look like that though."

Ouch, she's harsh. Not even a minute in and she's already taking the gloves off.

"I know," I answer without a single drop of guilt in my voice.

"…Is that all?" she asks narrowing her eyes as she turns to face me fully. Apparently she doesn't like the fact that I'm already moving on form my mistakes

I shake my head slightly. "Tara I'm not going to dwell on the past anymore. I've already promised him that I was going to move forward and not let what happened keep holding me back. Especially now since he's not here to help me get through this," I paused seeing her reaction and nearly gaped. "Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not like I don't feel bad about what happened, it's just that I have to move on if I'm going to make it up to him. I let him down once; and I'm not going to let it happen again if I can help it."

She sighs in response, closing her eyes and looking towards the blue sky, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "…Fine, I'm sorry Kim. It's not like I don't understand. It's just that I'm…jealous."

"Jealous? Of me? For Ron?" I asked confused at what she could mean.

"Yes of you, for Ron. The two of you were…are so close. The way he used to look at you…the way he _still_ looks at you is…I just wish he would look at me like that," she replied weakly, shoulders sagging.

"Tara, I don't think you understand exactly what's going on here." I shake my head, still not believing what I'm hearing.

"What?"

"You talk about the way he looks at me like we're long lost lovers or something; have you ever paid attention to the way he looks at you? The way he keeps staring like you're some kind of, deity that's blessed him your attention."

"WHA…? What are you talking about? He doesn't look at me like that," she squeaked.

Denial is not only a river in Egypt, huh?

"He does, Tara, believe me. Maybe not when you're looking at him, but he definitely does."

"I…I…Really?"

"Yeah, really. Look Tara, the relationship between me and Ron is…complicated to say the least. We've shared so many things and we've been best friends for so long that we were bound to end up growing close but…."

"But you became too close?" She offers.

"Yeah."

Uncomfortable silence.

"I don't care," she states boldly

"Uh? What?"

"I don't care how close the two of you are. I won't give up on him. Even…even if he'll always keep you in his heart I'm not leaving him to you."

"Tara?"

"I'll make him fall for me," she says without a shade of doubt. "I'll make him fall for me so hard that any feelings he has for you will pale in comparison."

She's standing straight professing her intent for all to hear. For a brief second that night when she stood up to Eric flashes in my mind and I know she's telling the truth. She won't give him up, even if I have the advantage of a long friendship with him.

Why couldn't I be like her?

"I understand," I answer simply. She inclines her head to the side inquisitively. "I won't come between the two of you. If you can live up to your words then I know you'll make him happy, but like I said last month in the locker room, if you hurt him in any way, I **will** take him away from you, and he'll never look back if I do. Got it?"

She stares at me with a fire in her eyes I never saw before. She isn't afraid of me and she isn't afraid of losing either.

"Deal!" A single determined word.

"Good. Now let's see if you can put that much effort into the training I've got planned for us. We've got a very tough schedule for the next week," I tell her with the evilest grin I can muster. She suddenly pales and I silently thank all those times Shego taunted me in the past years.

"Eeeeh? Wait a minute."

"Uh uh uh." I laugh darkly. "If you want to compete with me you've got to step up your game on _all_ levels. Just because I said I wasn't going to get between the two of you doesn't mean I'm going to wash my hands and walk away from this. You didn't _really_ think I was going to make your life easier did you?"

"Buuuuut Kiiiiim…" she whines.

"Ah, no. And before you try I'll tell you up front puppy dog pouts don't work on me, I invented that trick remember? Now come on girl start running. Double time!"

"You're a tyrant!"

"Yep, now GET MOVING!"

"EEEEP!" She bolts from where she was standing to follow the others.

She's good for him, she really is. She'll make him happy. Even if it tears me apart watching them from the sidelines.

But Tara…I'm not going to be left behind either.

I push my bag back onto my shoulder and follow the rest of the team. So much to do, so little time to get it done.

* * *

Author Notes: all right even if I've promised more of Ron I just couldn't leave the other characters back home without any insight. Therefore I will give you random snippets of life in Middleton without Ron in between the rest of the story. Next chapter will be another interlude from Shego's POV.

PS: If any of you dear readers enjoyed this chapter please let a big 'Thank you' for my beta Kenju in the reviews. Honestly he practically did all the (good) work on this one. I'm both happy and ashamed from how my half hearted interlude turned out to be under his care. I still have lots to learn. Thank you Kenju Sensei. I'll be putting more effort and a little less rush next time.

Bye everyone.


	55. Interlude Green Cage

**Interlude Green – Cage (tales from home part 2) beta: Kenju**

* * *

So, here I am, trapped. Again.

It really doesn't matter if the cage has bars or not, it's still a cage. If you can't go outside, if you can't see the sky, you're still a prisoner.

Eh. Going outside. What for? What's out there that I could possibly want right now? Shoot, back before everything went to hell in a hand basket I barely knew what to do with my free time. Sure hanging out at a spa would be nice, and even a little shopping would be fun, but after that?

Where would I go? What would I do?

Right. Even if I was free where would I go? Travel around the world? Lounge at the beach? Break in some place with heavy security for the heck of it?

Where would I go?

Home?

Yeah right. As if I even have one of those.

Maybe I should just leave, run away as far as I can. Screw Global Justice and their plans.

…

Yeah that'd smart. I'd be dead in two weeks tops.

For a moment…that actually didn't seem like such a bad idea. Dead. Quiet. Nothing to worry about, nothing to think about, no pain. Five weeks ago the only reason I avoided that option was out of fear. What would death feels like? Would it be any better or worse than the last thirteen years?

I couldn't bring myself to find out. Coward.

Then he came back from the dead like it was some normal everyday thing. He even had the gall to yell at me for breaking into his house, threatening to kick me out on my ass until he heard my sob story and worked out a deal for me with GJ. The whole time the only thing I could think was 'what the fuck?'

Where was the Buffoon? What kind of demon had possessed his body and returned from the grave? Was this chance at a new life some kind of cruel joke, now that I was seriously contemplating the idea of finally letting it go was fate dangling this 'chance' over my head?

But then…then it all started. He started with little things, like putting a blanket on me when I fell asleep on the couch. Then there were our nighttime conversations, little insights of each others nightmares, nothing earthshaking, no heartfelt revelations of our personal lives. Just casual conversation that edged on our respective pasts, common discussion in an uncommon environment.

Suddenly being wide awake at night was something I actually looked forward to. Those chats never lasted more than a few minutes but they were so fulfilling. It was just what I needed to feel like a human being again after so long. Our nighttime conversations continued after he stopped sleeping with that…Princess.

He really kept his promise. He kept treating me like a person, always ready to listen like a friend and never asking for more than I am willing to share. I honestly find it hard to believe even now. A friend. Me? The freak has found a friend? Impossible.

Then again I'm finding it more and more difficult to deny just what I'm seeing, what I'm feeling, what is happening to me. The time he spends around me is always without so much as a hint of fear, and he's looking at me or treating me like I was some kind of a freak, hell he hasn't even tried to put a move on me. He just stayed right there, right within my reach. All I had to do was hold my hand out and there he was, ready and waiting for me to take his.

What am I supposed to think? He offered me a new life, gave me another chance. He even trusted me enough to leave me here in his home with his family while he's off in another country for crying out loud! I can't just turn around and leave now, can I?

So I will keep on living. Not out of fear and not because I lack other options but because I can't bear the thought of his disappointment if I was to run away from here or from life in general. So I'll wait for him to come back, spending my time watching TV or working off some steam. Princess isn't here to beat around and the ninja chick left with Ron.

That girl…she's another mystery. She was always so polite with me, but I couldn't help but feel something threatening about her. Ron's bodyguard, huh? He sure attracts the weirdest of people and situations in life that's for sure. One thing I do know for a fact, and that's that she is dangerous. Not a danger to Ron or myself, at least not at the moment and I know she isn't a threat to Middleton in general. But the way she moved and carried herself, the air about her spoke of silent threats. The way she fought, it spoke of years of harsh training and firsthand experience, not casual training or even that of intense personal hobby like with Princess. We only sparred a few times and things never got serious, but I could tell that she was holding back far more than she was letting out. I knew that if she wanted to she could have given me even more of a thrashing than Kim ever could.

Granted, Princess has a wider range of skills so that makes her unpredictable in a fight, but that Yori girl…she's deadly, and I wouldn't at all be surprised if I found out she has killed before. I'm just glad she's not an enemy, otherwise with her ability to sneak up on me…ugh. Let's just not even go there. The thought of so many people running around out there who can give me a run for my money _despite_ my powers really pisses me off. Even Ron is starting to make me break a sweat and he's only got one good arm! Tsk. If I don't pick up the slack even he'll be able to whoop my ass soon.

Never mind the fact he's already done that twice.

"Sheila? Dinner's ready," Ron's mom calls from downstairs. That's another thing that I can't quite wrap my head around. How can these people simply accept the fact that they have a worldwide wanted criminal living in their attic just like that? Aren't they afraid of me? I could just rip them apart without any effort if I wanted to. When I asked her as much she simply told me 'Ron trusts you and so do we' while his father simply nodded from behind his paper.

The Stoppables are just so…not normal. On the outside they don't seem to relate to each other at all, almost like they're strangers living in the same home. But if you look at them closely you can see these small gesture of affection that would otherwise go unnoticed, like the way Mrs. Stoppable always leaves the newspaper folded on the kitchen table for her husband to read when he comes down for breakfast, or the way he takes the packages from the highest shelves where his wife can't reach before she even needs them. You might never see them showing affection to one another publicly but it's there. It fills the house with this calm atmosphere that I don't remember ever experiencing before. Thinking about it, it's the same feeling that Ron gives off all the time. That laidback easy going devil may care attitude that makes it so easy to be around him.

It's a wonder he lacks a social life, being such a positive person. But it's no wonder why Princesses hogged him all the time, there is just no way you can give up on something when Ron's supporting you all the way.

Dang, that's probably why Princess can pull off half the shit she does all the time. Oh she's good all the same but have you seen what kind of wreckage she becomes without her 'Ronshine'? Ugh, I can't believe I actually said it, even to myself. Ronshine? All right, that's it, enough thinking, it's time to get down to dinner so I can put all this shit behind me before I start going soft.

Eh. Ronshine. Who the hell could ever need that sort of stuff?

…

…

Please come back home soon, Ron.

* * *

Author notes: Meh. A rather short Interlude. Sorry about that. I have the next chapter ready but I'm trying to write a little more before uploading it. From next chapter forward things will focus on Japan a little more with only a few snippets of life back in Middleton every now and then.

Next Chapter will be up by Thursday. Stay tuned for more.

As usually my thanks go to Kenju for his great help- Thanks man.


	56. Together

**Chapter 34 Together**

* * *

One would think that sleeping on the floor is a rather uncomfortable experience, and normally I would agree with you. But not today.

Last night I had slept _way_ better than I had in weeks…well, barring the nights I spent with Kim of course. It's not like I slept an extra ten hours or had silk sheets or anything like that. I just feel more rested is all. Plus waking up at four a.m. with something productive to do gives whole new meaning to the term 'early riser'. Sure two months ago this would have looked like hell to me but a great deal changed inside my head within that span of time. Honestly speaking I can't find a reason to complain for once.

Stretching my remaining limbs I push away the covers of the futon, letting the chilly morning air remind me why I didn't roll them away during the night in the first place.

The air in this place is positively freezing even in the summer. We are several thousand feet above sea level after all. Since the sun isn't even peeking out from the horizon yet I honestly wouldn't be surprised to find icicles hanging from the roof. Then again that's probably just me being…well, me. People around here probably wouldn't even notice, that is if they were awake at this ungodly hour.

For a change, especially since last time I was here, I'm actually up before the morning wake up call. I could go and start the morning jog but it would be sort of disrespectful not to wait for my hosts to be up and about. So, I take the chance to enjoy the local attraction and make my way to the hot springs.

The halls are even more silent than usual, and that's really saying something given the fact that this is a school for _ninjas_. There's really something magical about this place, it's hard to explain but it just has this feel to it, knowing that you're walking through the same halls that have been around for hundreds, maybe even a thousand years. Crossing the gardens to reach the building where the spring is I take the time to bask in the atmosphere of this land still untouched by the rest of the world.

The peak of the mountain is a huge shadow that's just barely showing color as the first light of day starts to shine over it. With rough patches of snow covering its tip sending all sorts of multicolored reflections it's truly a sight to behold. I have to give good ol' Toshimuru his dues for building his school up here. I can hardly think of another place where someone could retire to study how to Fade away from the world than a place already hidden away from it. The Art here is not just a useful skill, it's an entire way of living.

With those thoughts in mind I've reached my destination. Discarding my clothes I take a towel from the shelf and after making sure it's secure around my waste I walk into the steaming pool. The sudden shift between the temperature of the water and the air outside is almost painful. The shock lasts barely a few seconds though and soon enough I can feel the warmth spreading across my body.

Now, when I entered the bath I was half joking in my mind about stumbling into one of those typical anime situations where a guy walks in on a girl bathing. I certainly wasn't thinking about it happening for real.

Strange how life's really cliché sometimes isn't it?

"KYYYAAAAAH!"

The high-pitched ear-splitting scream pierced both the air and my eardrums. Ho-ly shit whoever this girl is she must have lungs the size of tree trunks. Hidden from within the steam she starts throwing bars of soap, bottles of shampoo, combs, brushes, wooden stools and even (somehow) a potted plant in my direction, again in a typical anime fashion. But unlike with those typical gags I don't run away in shame or embarrassment since I can't even see her _/yet/_, she's just a faint shadow inside the mist. That and her aim is off, like _really_ off. Whoever she is, she's either not even trying to aim, or she's just a really lousy shot. With my enhanced perception and awareness it's easy to predict the 'missiles' trajectory and move just enough to avoid them. Eh, I'm just so cool...too bad I failed to consider that with half my body in the water my movement isn't quite as fast as on land.

"Damn potted plant," is the only thing I have time to think before my world fades to black with a loud *_THUNK_* and sharp pain erupts in my forehead.

* * *

My second awakening of the days is not as pleasant as the first by a long shot. For one my head is throbbing painfully and I'm wet as a rag. My eye focuses again and my gaze locks with what appear to be a pair of black almonds just inches away from my face. Who….?

"Sumimasen!" Suddenly the young towel clad girl steps away from me kenneling lowly with her forehead touching the ground much like Yori did the morning after she attacked me. "I am sorry! I am sorry! I did not know it was you Stoppable-sama. I am so very sorry. So sorry. So sorry."

It takes me a couple of seconds to collect my memories from the past few minutes and remember what happen. Those little clues help me figure out just who this girl probably is.

"Uuuuh…" How do you start this kind of conversation? "It's fine, no big, just….ouch…" I rub my forehead for a moment before asking the question I should have in the first place. "Who are you?" The girl stops her apologetic rant and meets my eye without rising from her kneeling position.

"I am…I…." she stutters. I raise my hand in a friendly manner trying to calm her down a bit.

"Ok, calm down, I'm alright see? So just relax…" Seeing her fearful expression change to one of worry I nod. "Good, now you already know who I am, but I don't remember seeing you before miss…?"

Perhaps too surprised by the whole ordeal, it takes her about two seconds to close her mouth and another five to come up with a reaction.

"My name? Ah…watashi wa, ah, I mean…my name is…Makimura Hitomi", she stammers, apparently embarrassed by her constant slipping to her native language. I really don't mind, it's kind of cute. I like her already.

She looks like she's around thirteen, maybe fourteen but I could be mistaken. It's hard to guess Asian peoples age. Her hair is jet black just like most of the population around here and kept in a small ponytail. She has larger eyes than Yori but as for the rest of her she might as well be Yori's little sister or cousin for that matter.

"Well Makimura-san, as you already know I'm Ron Stoppable, pleased to meet you. I would have preferred a less painful first meeting, but I guess normals not an option for me with anything," I reply with a smile rubbing my forehead.

Even though I said that with a clearly joking tone it seems that to have been the wrong thing to say as her head once again drops to the floor in apology.

"I am very sorry Stoppable-sama. I did not mean to…I mean, I did not know it was you. I would have never…"

"Oh, come on, you've apologized enough. It's not like it was your fault anyway. I should have checked before coming in, I knew these were mixed baths. I just didn't think anyone else would be here THIS early. Now I know I shouldn't just assume things like that. It's my bad; I'm the one at fault so I'm the one who's sorry Makimura-san. "

"No, no," she opposes. "I have overreacted. This kind of jiko is not shunbatsu it is just that…I did not think anyone else would…"

"Be here this early in the morning?" I offer with a smile already forming on my lips. She might speak with broken English but I can still understand what she's saying easily enough. "So, since we are both at fault here what if we both stop apologizing and get off with a fresh start? Maybe with some clothes on?" I ask pointing at the towel covering my lower half

She looks down at her body just now realizing that she's covered in only a loosely wrapped towel, which I might add doesn't do all that great a job in covering her still maturing frame. The blush on her face is almost worth the clobbering I got for accidently sneaking up on her. With an embarrassed "EEEEP," she darts from the baths to the changing room. Had she been a few years older this would have been a rather fun little exchange, and I might have been tempted to follow her. Instead I shake my head in amusement I head for the male side of the changing rooms.

Now that's another odd thing about Japan. They have mixed baths but separate changing rooms. I mean doesn't having mixed baths kinda defeat the whole purpose of separate changing rooms? Ah the mysteries of Japan.

Ten minutes later a very flustered Hitomi finds me outside of the building.

"Hey there you are," I say with a grin. "So how about we introduce each other the proper way this time?"

She simply nods without meeting my gaze.

"Alright, I'm Ron Stoppable. Or, as you would say around here, Stoppable Ron. Pleased to make your acquaintance," I say with a bow.

She bows in the same manner I did before addressing me.

"I am Makimura Hitomi. It is my honor to finally meet you, Stoppable-sama."

"It is?" I ask "How so?"

"Ah, perhaps you are not aware, due to arriving just last evening but you are a…celebrity to many of the students," she answers without meeting my gaze. It seems that her English is only broken when she's nervous, but she still struggles with some words just like Yori does.

It takes a great deal of effort not to show the annoyance on my face or in my voice at hearing her words however. I came here hoping to leave my popularity back in the States. Is it too much to ask to be a regular guy for a bit?

"I am? Why?" She looks at me sideways as we make our way to the mess hall were breakfast is hopefully going to be served soon.

"You really do not know Stoppable-sama? You are the first _Chosen Wielder_ of the Blade since Toshimuru-sama. It is the greatest honor on can possibly achieve."

Great, so I'm even MORE popular here than back home.

"Really? Geez no pressure there, but honestly…I don't think I did anything that major. The Blade might have chosen me or whatever but I don't think I'm all that great. I mean what did I ever do to deserve It anyway?"

She suddenly halts and tugs my arm, biting her lips and looking away like she's pondering if to say something or not.

"Perhaps it is not my place to be telling you this but…." Ah I can already see where this topic is going.

"I'm not exactly popular in the good kind of way am I? Let me guess…I'm the Outsider who stole the honor of being the wielder from the rightful students of the school?"

"You knew?" she asked with wide eyes, the first time I had seen them since waking in the hot springs.

"Not exactly, it's just the same old story repeating itself over and over. I've been dealing with petty jealously from my schoolmates for the past month because I suddenly overshadowing the popular students…and because I'm apparently stealing the attention of the female population. Honestly I was hoping to catch some rest from it all by coming here. Instead now I have envious ninjas gunning for me. Lucky me," I answer twirling my finger in the air as Shego had when I deal was struck.

"You are very calm about this whole matter Stoppable-sama. You are not worried about having trained assassins resenting you?" I shrug in response.

"What good is worrying about it going to do? At least now I know about it so I'll just have to keep my guard up. Besides I don't think anybody here wants to incur Sensei's ire by attacking a guest. Fukushima set a pretty good example for that one already."

"Stoppable-sama! Please do not refer to that _kokuzoku,_" she spat with disgust, "as though he is still one of us. He brought great shame to us all with his conduct. We do not speak of him."

"Uh. Sorry about that, I didn't know it was…like that, I won't bring it up again if I don't have to." I reply somewhat surprised by the sheer hatred in her words. I knew that the Japanese take the concept of honor very seriously, more so here at Yamanouchi. I just didn't realize how much it covered and included. It could be said that their moral compass is all about upholding it, and death is preferable to losing or jeopardizing it. I always found myself oddly fascinated by this facet of their culture; their courage to risk everything to live up to their values is truly remarkable. For not the first time I find myself wishing I was strong enough to live like that. Maybe here I'll learn how to do so.

"Oh, forgive me Stoppable-sama, it is just that for us Yamanouchi is our family. To act against our school for one's own personal gain is the same as turning against blood kin."

"Don't worry about it; family is the most important thing after all. No shame is being protective of that, trust me I know."

Believe me, I _know_. I have the missing eye and stump for an arm to prove it.

"Are you familiar with the concept of family beyond blood relation then?" she asks, and for a moment the image of a redhead and her family flashes through my mind. "Forgive me, it is not my place to ask such personal questions," she adds quickly after seeing my expression.

"Oh ease up already Makimura-san, I'm not going to get offended or anything." Honestly how could I considering the number of times my pants fell on international television? "I don't mind talking about it; I'm actually very fond of my extended family. I spend more time with them than with my blood relatives after all."

"I see…I am surprised Stoppable-sama. You are a more profound than I was led to believe from the tales of you last…permanence here." I arch an eyebrow at that.

"Really? And exactly what kind of tales are they telling about me?"

A familiar sense of foreboding and annoyance are already gathering in my stomach.

"Excluding Tanaka-senpai you have been described as…a stumbling baka most of the time." Then she pales considering what she has just said. "I did not say that out loud, did I?" She looks at me wide eyed trying to gauge my reaction. Her expression is priceless and I can't hold back the laughter. That kinda got in the way of her incoming apology. I mean, who would feel like apologizing when the recipient is laughing his ass off holding his stomach doubled over? In the end even she starts chuckling.

"Please take no offence to what I'm about to say Makimura-san but for a ninja you are way too blunt. Aren't you supposed to keep what's going on in you mind, I dunno, in your mind?" She scrunches her faces at my statement.

"I have been told so hundreds of time, Stoppable-sama," she admits half resentful half amused.

"And I have been called a fool or its variants just as many if not more. To each his…err her…their own I guess. Nobody's perfect."

"You are right of course. Thank you Stoppable-sama. This was my first time speaking with someone from outside the school. I am glad it was you, Even if we started on the wrong shoe."

I smile but keep the chuckle to myself. She's got a long way to go in learning American expressions. Still, Yori is only _slightly_ better than she is…

"Can't complain either, and thanks for keeping me company. I'll be looking forward to seeing you again."

"There you are," Yori's voice calls from behind me. "Good morning, Stoppable-san. I have been searching for you since…oh. Gu-tenmorugen Makimura-kouhai."

" Gu-tenmorugen Tanaka-senpai," the younger student replies with a bow

"I trust you have not been bothering our honorable guest," Yori adds with a warning tone. She's really good at playing the role of the stern senior student. Still, I can see how nervous the poor girl is so I answer in Makimura's defense.

"Not at all Yori, she's been a great little host, she's kept me company the whole time," I reply gaining a thankful look from Makimura that doesn't go unnoticed by Yori.

"Is that so? I am glad then. Thank you for your assistance Makimura-kouhai, you are dismissed."

"Hai Tanaka-senpai," she answers with a bow before repeating the action to me. "It was an honor speaking to you Stoppable-sama, adiosu."

I reply her in kind and I watch her enter the mess hall.

"What was that all about Yori? Don't you think you were being a little hard on the kid?" If she's surprised by my straightforwardness she isn't showing it.

"Oh, it is nothing you should concern yourself with Stoppable-san. She is a good student and shows promise in combat, but she is renowned for…how would you Americans say…putting her foot in her mouth at all times…and being extremely loud. Not kunoichi material."

Well I can see where she's coming from, but at the same time I kind of resent her for it.

"I think I can relate with that, I've being doing the same thing most of my life…especially around girls. Now that I think about it I haven't exactly been considered ninja material until recently, life's full of surprises uh?" I ask the last part narrowing my eye. I didn't really take offence from her comment, and as far as I can see Makimura is certainly the way she described her. But that's no reason to look down on her. "Thinking about it she's not the only one that puts her foot in her mouth around here eh?"

My sarcastic answer hit Yori in the stomach hard if her expression is any to go by. I've heard too many apologies for one and however so I walk in before she has a chance to start.

Much like back home as soon as I step inside everyone turns to stare at me. It'd be just like Middleton High if not for the creepy silence of fifty or so ninjas. Without paying too much attention I search for Makimura's head among the crowd and walk all the way where she's seated right in the middle of a group of other kunoichi of her same age group.

"Stoppable-sama?" she asks surprised to see me again so soon. Her wide eyed expression is mirrored by her friends.

"Hello again Makimura-san, you wouldn't mind sharing your table with a cripple this morning would you?" I ask trying to keep the air from getting too serious.

"Ah, uh, no, not at all Stoppable-sama, please have a seat," she answers. As I do so she asks the question I pretty much expected her to ask when I chose to sit with her. "I was under the impression you were going to have breakfast with Tanaka-senpai, did something happen?" I smirk at her question.

"Oh, she's just a little busy pulling her foot from somewhere she shouldn't have stuck it. I'm pretty sure she'll be joining us soon anyways."

"I… see?" I don't think she does but it doesn't really matters.

"I hope I'm not causing you or your friends any trouble sitting here, I'm not used to the customs of this place yet…I mean, I'm not like offending, dishonoring or embarrassing you by sitting here am I?" The whole group shakes their head.

"No, oh no, Stoppable-sama not at all. It is just…unusual for an older student to spend time with the youngest outside of lessons. Unless they are assisting us with our subjects our Senpai mostly keep to themselves."

Definitely Middleton High all over again.

"Well that's not quite the case here is it? I might be older than you but I've only been a student here for about a week. Technically speaking that would make you all my Senpai, wouldn't it? Makimura-senpai, it has a nice ring to it don't you agree?" I tease her. Her sputtering is priceless much like her expression before. This time tough I keep the laughter in check in favor of teasing her a little more. "So then, please take care of me Makimura-senpai, for I still can't get anything from lunch lady ninja and I'm starving." I tell her bowing my head in her direction. More sputtering from her and some giggling from her friends. I can feel the stares on my back from the rest of the students but frankly I don't care about their judgments at the moment. I am what I is and if they don't like me for who I am it's their problem. I learned a long time ago that the first thing about being yourself is to not deny oneself.

After that she introduced me to her friends, which turned out to be a nice group after getting past the whole awe of meeting a 'celebrity' thing. It took them around five minutes to realize that I'm nobody special and ease back into their normal selves, or what I suppose is their common behavior anyway. For my sake they kept the conversation mainly in English even if sometimes they slipped back to Japanese when they didn't know how to say something. A nice way to pass some time

* * *

The whole breakfast turned out to be an interesting event with many linguistic exchanges. I learned a few terms in Japanese and I repaid them in kind with some American slang and sayings. Yori didn't' join us for breakfast much to my disappointment. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings; I just turned her own words against her to try and get her to lay off Makimura, not 'teach her a lesson'. After breakfast another student who didn't even bother introducing himself told me that Sensei was waiting for me and pointed me towards his quarters. That's where I'm currently heading.

Sensei 'quarters' turned out to be a little building in the corner of the grounds. _/A shack./_ It's really simple from the outside and the inside it's very much the same.

I find Sensei sitting in the lotus position in the middle of the entrance chamber. The room only has a small table with a tea set while the walls are covered with shelves filled with really old looking scrolls. After seeing it I don't think I'll ever be able to picture a sensei's room differently from this. It's truly the embodiment of humbleness and simplicity.

I knock at the doorframe and Sensei opens his eyes and smiles.

"Ah Stoppable-san, please come in. I have been waiting for you, have a seat. Tea?"

"I'd appreciate it, and thank you Sensei." He pours two cups of tea and places one in front of me. I blow over the steaming liquid before taking a sip. Uh, definitely not the kind of stuff you get at Smarty Mart. Damn I didn't know tea tasted this good. Maybe I could take some back home… We sit in a comfortable silence until Sensei finally finishes his tea.

"I wished to speak with you Stoppable-san because Yori-san has reported many…unusual things about yourself. Not only regarding your… bond with the Blade which is an event in of itself, but there is also the matter or your overall improvement in the Art and its application. That you survived Yori-sans assault the night she returned to your residence is a statement of your skill." I swallow another sip of tea.

"I… uh, she told you about that huh. Never mind, I guess it is her job to tell you everything. Really though, I just had the advantage of knowing the lay of the land and I was defending myself with the Lotus Blade. I had an unfair advantage over her in that situation."

"Humbleness is the foundation of a great man, Stoppable-san. Yet there is a difference between being humble and underestimating one's own skill. According to Yori-sans evaluation you are, as she claims, a force to be reckoned with." I'm about to dismiss the praise but he cuts me off sternly before I have chance to voice my thoughts. "No Stoppable-san. I will not accept an opining born from your habit of putting yourself down. Think for a moment and tell me, should you choose to do so would you be capable, skill wise, to overcome any untrained and unarmed opponent regardless of their numbers?"

I blink a couple of times. Putting aside the fact that I won't probably ever _try_ to harm someone who's obviously not a threat, could I accomplish it?

"Yes, to a point, one person can only fight so many at once," the answer rolls out of my mouth so smoothly and honestly that I'm surprised it came out in my voice. Sensei nods in response.

"That means that you are already at a level where your skills cannot be overcome by the power of reasonable quantity anymore. You would run out of stamina just as any other person in the end but you could escape before that happened could you not?" I just nod. "Very good, now to properly gauge your true abilities I need to witness them for myself. Then I will assign you a proper training regimen. The way you have grown into your skills prohibits you from joining the other students of any class regardless of level. It would either be too difficult or too easy, useless in both cases."

"Uh, how exactly are you going to be gauging my skill?" I ask the aged teacher.

"With a sparring session of course," he answers with that grandfatherly smile of his.

"Oh, of course, then I suppose we should call Yori…or maybe you had another student in mind." It might have been a trick of my eyes but I'm pretty sure that he's no longer smiling under that beard of his but grinning.

"Stoppable-san, the only way for me to properly gauge your skill is to witness it firsthand.

"Eh?"

"You do not truly know someone until you fight them Stoppable-san. I shall be your sparring partner. Come now, we should not delay this more than we already have, follow me."

Why do I have this nagging feeling that I'm in for a world of pain?

* * *

"Ooof!" Sensei's palm hit my chest the second our spar started. My brain didn't even have the time to process the 'hajime' shouted by a student before my body was sent flying back and the air in my lungs was forced out despite my best efforts to keep it in. Somehow I manage to land on my feet supporting my body with my fake arm. I look up toward my opponent only to look at empty space.

"Shit!" I roll out of the way just in time to avoid a heel swinging down where my head was just a moment before. Had he hit me…never mind focus on the present. I jump back trying to keep some distance between us and gain some sort of control on the flow of the fight, but Sensei isn't willing to let me play by my rules. I've barely managed to dodge a fist to my face before a low kick deprives me of my support. My head falls down and only by pure survival instinct I put my hand to the floor and propel myself back gaining the much sought distance between me and him.

I have very little time to get my mind and body into the battle accessing to the Power of Cowardice. Sensei is already back on me but this time I've got it covered, sorta. The old man is waaay faster than me despite his age, and it's only thanks to the fact that I'm moving BEFORE he is that I'm able to contain his offence. My offence on the other hand is non-existent. A sequence of blows so fast that it can only be defined as a flurry keeps me from opening my guard and countering him. He's completely dominating the flow of the battle. While I never thought for a moment that I could actually compete with him the fact that I'm just barely able to _react_ is a low blow for my self esteem and ego.

I don't know how long we've been going at it, time as a whole loses sense when you're surviving by mere fractions of seconds. It seems an eternity to me when probably hasn't even been thirty seconds yet. I dance around his blows a little more before a double palm slams against my ribcage sending me flying back on the verge of unconsciousness. My flight is 'thankfully' slowed by several layers of _wall _ultimately stopping a couple of rooms from my entrance point. Thank God everything here is rice paper and balsa wood. If those had been brick walls or even just regular wood...never mind. Even like this I can barely feel my body anymore. I'm numb everywhere and coved by debris. The old man has completely and utterly kicked my ass. There's just too much difference in skill and experience.

_/…. What the hell are you doing?/ _The Jester asks in annoyance

\Getting my ass handed to me by a guy in his eighties?\

_/I can see that myself idiot. I'm asking why you aren't going all out./_

\What? I'm doing the best that I can here! I'm putting everything I have into keeping him from hitting me, with little success I might point out.\

_/My point exactly. Why are you going at it alone? Why aren't you calling me out? What's the point of keeping me caged in a fight against someone you cant handle?/_

\This is a spar not a battle for survival, I'm not trying to kill Sensei.\ I snap back at my counterpart.

_/Well then, maybe you should. You're not even good enough to keep up with him if you keep going half-assed. LET. ME. OUT./_

\Do you think you can do better than me?\

_/You really are a Buffoon. I'm half of the whole Ron Stoppable, just like you. This isn't about you OR me, it's about you AND me. So what are we going to do? Are YOU going to let this old man keep kicking your ass in front of everyone or are WE going to give them a fight actually WORTH talking about?/_

\...\

_/…/_

\Let's go…\

_/Let's kick the old man's ass…/_

_**…Together!**_

We push ourselves back up, shaking away the debris. Our body is still numb from the blows we've taken so far but we don't mind. Our hearth is racing and our mind is working overtime. Much like the first time we found each other our senses are sharper than ever and our mind clear as the summer sky. It's been a long time since we felt like this. **Let's go.** We walk through the outline made by our flying body and jump back into the garden where Sensei was waiting surrounded by a crowd of students at a safe distance. By the number I'd say the most of the school is watching our fight._** Let's give them a show.**_

"Are you able to continue Stoppable-san?"

Our answer is a wave of bloodlust that washes over the gathered crowd. More than a few hands grip their weapons ready to strike at a moment notice. We reign in the desire to kill, Sensei isn't the kind of foe we can face while on a high, we can't get drunk on our own adrenaline if we want to do more than be a punching bag…again.

"I will take that as a yes," he adds with his eyes now fully opened. Those were the last words he has the chance to say before our legs shoot us forward with blinding speed.

This time the battle is more balanced, not equal but at least no more staying on the defensive. If he's going to hit us he's going to hit us, we're just not going to let him do it as easily anymore. Let's see how he like this.

We let him set a straight punch to our face for the sole purpose of grabbing it. Twisting his arm with both hands, Sensei is sent spinning in midair much to his surprise. We haven't yet stopped the torsion that our leg flies to his still spinning body. It's only thanks to his many years of experience that he is able to counter it, punching our leg to get away from our range of attack. It won't do him any good though. My aggressiveness is at its peak, I won't give him any time to maneuver or change the flow back to his advantage. I'm dominating this time.

Before he has a chance to step on the ground we are back on him already. The flurry of punches keeps him on his guard for the time being. We don't know where half these moves are coming out from, we've never felt like this. Powerful, strong, unleashed, like a hunter, a predator. This feeling is inebriating, we could get drunk on we cant. We…. I have to stay in control. Greater focus. More control. We are two but we are One.

Without slowing our minds becomes one and then an even greater clarity invades my mind as I realize that this isn't going anywhere. I'm doing my very best only to keep Sensei from whipping the floor with me. He isn't short on breath or sweating at all. I'm STILL not in control of the fight. He's riding my flow perfectly only to gauge the level of my skills. Great, how much do you have to train to become that strong? A lifetime? I can't wait to get to it.

Finally it seems that Sensei has found the answer he was searching for because he simply disappears from my sight and perception only to reappear behind me. A strong elbow to my back before he twists on his heel and digs a fist into my stomach sends me to my knees with him gripping my neck.

Yep, totally got my ass whooped.

Again

"Ah!...Ah! Ah ah ah ah! Whew. That was fun eh Sensei," I state matter-of-factly trying to catch my breath. There is no malice or anger in my voice for having been defeated with such ease. Sensei arches an eyebrow before responding.

"That would be my line, Stoppable-san. It has been many years since a student forced me to use such force or effort. I must commend you for your efforts, and your improvements."

"Ah. Thank you Sensei, you honor me with your praise." I feel like I'm missing something here, there was something in his voice just now. A hint of regret, sadness at the mention of that student. Meh. It's not my business anyway. Sensei releases the grip on my neck so I can stand again. I turn and bow to him respectfully and he does the same.

The court is completely silent although I can tell they all want to say something. They are just too disciplined to break out in whispers in front of their Sensei. I catch a glimpse of Yori turning away from us and leaving at a brisk pace. Was that…fear in her eyes right now? Not that it isn't present in many of the other students along with awe and surprise but Yori…uh, never mind, I'm probably just reading too much into it.

"Follow me, Stoppable-san," Sensei tells me. I turn on my heels and follow behind him towards his quarters again, letting the Jester fade back into the recesses of our shared mind. That was intense to say the least and enlightening as well. There's a whole different level of skills out there and I can't help but wonder how many other people there are able to fight like that.

…

**We can't wait to find out.**

* * *

Authot Notes: All right. Ron's first day at Yamanouchi has been hectic so far and it has just begun. Hitomi is just the first of many character that will appear in this arc between friends and foe.

So what do you think about it?

As usual many thanks to my beta Kenju for his wonderful work on this chapter. PS: Most of the Japanes words here are his doing so you know who to blame if you don't understand anything.

On that note here's a quick guide to the words used in this chapter.

Stay tuned for more every one.

Oh and thanks to Cajunbear73 and Sentinel103 for sticking up with my story, and to eckles as well for his in-depth reviews.

Till next time.

Bye.

* * *

**Japanese to English**

Sumimasen-Sorry/excuse me

Watashi-I (I am)

Jiko-Incident/accident

Shunbatsu-Uncommon/unusual

Kokuzoku-Traitor

Baka-Idiot/fool

Gu-tenmorugen-Good morning

Adiosu-Goodbye

Hajime-Start/begin


	57. Insane

**Chapter 35 – Insane (Edited by Kenju 08.19.2011)**

* * *

We are back into Sensei's chambers sipping another cup of tea.

"I am honestly surprised Stoppable-san," Sensei says. "Yori-sans evaluation of your skill seems to have been highly inaccurate, save that your improvements are out of scale. Tell me, just what sort of experience brought this out of you?"

"Ermm…I honestly don't know how to explain this exactly Sensei. I was just…I was pushed over the edge by the circumstances and…I dunno…stepped up?" Sensei shakes his head.

"I do not think it is quite that simple Stoppable-san. When a person is pushed beyond their limit he may obtain a temporary increase in skill, most due to the pressure forcing greater focus over the situation, thus bringing out the true potential of one's abilities. In your case it seems that your skills are increasing steadily over time, at the same rate you are maturing as a person I might add."

"Ugh, I might be wrong but…isn't that a good thing?" I asked, somewhat surprised with his tone. I've spent all my life hearing that I should have grown up and now that I do it's not a good thing anymore?

"Normally yes, it would be. But maturity is a slow process that takes the course of years. It can not happen within an instant, not without causing great strain over ones mind. Under such pressure the mind would break, and the person would fall into insanity."

I continue to sip at my tea, doing my best to pretend that his analysis isn't spot on. Sensei is eyeing me warily, not fooled in the least by my apparent calmness. He's looking straight into my eye with a look of understanding. _/We are so busted./_

I put down the cup and stare right back at him.

"What do you want me to say, Sensei? That I'm insane? That something in my mind broke and now I'm just another nut job walking around unsupervised?" I ask daringly.

"Are you?" he inquires right back without missing a beat.

"Yes." Simple as that. Nothing showy, no grand display of madness and no lies or half truths. Plain, blunt self-acceptance.

"I see," he replies before taking a sip from his own tea.

This has to be the strangest conversation I ever had, and given the fact I have Shego living in my attic that really saying something. It's like we're two old friends chatting about the weather. Shouldn't he be shocked or worried at least? Nah. He probably suspected it from the beginning, and why would he be worried? He's already proven in front of quite a few people just how badly he can kick my ass if he needs to. I was never the most normal guy and with Yori reporting all of my improvements he probably guessed it before I even got on the plane. The sparring match we had wasn't really to test my skills, but my psyche. I wonder what the results of his analysis were.

The last thing I expected was to hear him chuckle.

"You truly are one of a kind Stoppable-san. I did not expect you to answer so candidly."

"Well Sensei, the perk of being insane is to defy logic in the first place isn't it?"

"I suppose that is true. I have never had the pleasure to find that for myself. This explains many recently occurrences, yet at the same time it opens so many other questions."

"Such as?" I ask in a quiet tone like the matter doesn't involve me at all.

"I need to insure if you are of no danger to Yamanouchi Stoppable-san. Leaving the Lotus Blade in the hands of an unstable individual would bring ruin upon us."

"I see, and due to my bond with the Blade, the only way to keep her away from me would be to dispose of me…permanently. Am I in the right ballpark Sensei?"

"As you American's would say, in a nutshell, yes Stoppable-san."

We continue drinking our tea in a peaceful and comfortable silence. It strikes odd me how Sensei is treating this whole matter like it's a common occurrence. I'm supposed to be insane, any reaction on my part is completely understandable if not acceptable, but him? I wonder if this Zen calmness of his is something that can be learned or it's a natural gift. Maybe its just something all old people can do…

Finally he puts the cup back on the table.

"You are admirably calm about this Stoppable-san. Do you not worry I might deem you a threat and dispose of you? Or perhaps you think you could leave the school alive if I choose to do so?"

Mimicking him, I place my own cup down before answering.

"Sensei, I'm insane, not stupid. You made it very clear that if you wanted me dead I would be already. The fact that I am still breathing now tells me you believe what I already know from our spar, I'm not a threat to Yamanouchi, and I'm hardly a threat to you."

He pours me yet another cup.

"What is it that makes you so certain of this Stoppable-san? What makes you believe that I have already tested you enough to deem it safe for you to continue living?"

"Many reasons, Sensei, the first being that I gauged you during our little spar. If you still hadn't decided if I was a threat or not you wouldn't have brought up this conversation in the first place, you would have continued observing me and my unconscious actions. The only reason we're talking about this at all is because you have reached your conclusion already. Again, the fact that I'm still breathing adds to this along with this mornings incident.."

Sensei raises an eyebrow in a questioning expression.

"What incident is this you speak of Stoppable-san?"

"Come on Sensei, you don't actually expect me to believe that a girl can scream at the top of her lungs in a school full of ninjas and nobody notice? I might not have sensed them but I'm pretty sure I've been observed since I got off the plane. The only reason nobody showed up to investigate is because they were already there to begin with."

His mustache twitched for a fraction of second, I knew he was suppressing a laugh.

"So you have seen through my façade already, truly remarkable Stoppable-san. It has been many years since I had such an open conversation. Thank you."

"No problem Sensei. Say you wouldn't by any chance happen to have some cookies around here to go with the tea would you? All this liquid and nothing to chew kinda made me hungry."

"Of course, Stoppable-san, they are in front of you."

I look down and sure enough there's a small plate of cookies beside my tea cup. I eye them suspiciously for a moment before turning my attention back to Sensei. My eyebrow nearly twitches when I see that he's taking a bite from one of the cookies that I _know_ wasn't there a second ago.

Even though its just a plate of cookies, a small part of me shivers knowing that he had somehow put them right in front of me without me even noticing. Either he's warning me just how easily he could kill me, or he's teasing me.

* * *

The next hour is spent telling the tale of the past two months, from the battle at Bueno Nacho HQ to my return home and everything else. Sensei is the first to hear the whole story. If anybody can keep a secret or two it's him.

"I see, so being pushed to your emotional limit forced you to break the thin thread that held you to your sanity, making this…Jester manifest. The Chosen One and the Harbinger are the same person after all. This explains your relationship with the Blade and you sudden increase in performance."

"How's that? I still don't have a clue about any of this. Why is it I'm suddenly stronger, faster and smarter? How could anyone improve this quickly?"

"That is exactly the point Stoppable-san. You have not been improving beyond the norm, you have simply been holding back all this time."

"Uh? Are you telling me that my real abilities were…sealed all along? But how?"

"If I were to guess, I would suppose it is due of your upbringing. Your relationship with Possible-san never forced you to acknowledge your darker side. No that may not be correct, I believe that in order to be accepted by her you sealed away what you believed to be your worst half. Thus, when Possible-san pushed you away, the reason for the seal to exist was gone, and the dangerous situation you found yourself in forced you to assimilate the now free half of your mind too quickly. "

"And so the Jester was born…." I conclude with wonder.

_/Whoa, who would have ever imagined?/_

\I had no clue. But doesn't that mean…\

"Sensei doesn't this mean that…"

"That you are possibly saner now than before? That is my own conclusion as well Stoppable-san. Though this development has possibly made you…"

"Even less normal than before," I finish the sentence for him.

We look at each other seriously for a moment before breaking down into laughter, well I laugh, Sensei just chuckles lightly and shakes his head.

"You truly live up to your creed Stoppable-san."

"Yeah, nobody can say that the Ronster doesn't back up his word. Whew. But where does that leaves me Sensei? What should I do now that I no longer have those restraints?"

"I am afraid that I do not know the answer to that particular question Stoppable-san," Sensei answers matter-of-factly. "Finding your path is part of the path itself. The only thing I can suggest is to put yourself in new situations until you find your true calling. Knowing the sort of life you conduct I do not believe this should be too difficult. Here at Yamanouchi we can only help you to further hone your skills so that you will be capable of handling anything that is may cross your path, we can not find your path for you."

"Yeah, that's another thing I'm not getting, why are you helping me at all? I'm no ninja and even though I dabble with the Art I don't plan on becoming one. Is it because if my connection to the Lotus Blade or is it because I have Mystical Monkey Powers?"

"Not at all Stoppable-san," Sensei replies with a smile. "Here at Yamanouchi we educate our students on the principles of strength and honor. The Art and the life of a ninja is but a way to learn these. As a matter of fact, I myself am not a true ninja."

"Wait, what? You aren't a ninja? But you aren't you like the principal here or something? Aren't you supposed to be the head honcho? The ninjaest of all ninjas? "

"No Stoppable-san, despite what my role may lead you to believe I am not that proficient in the Art, in all honesty I believe that your skills as a ninja are already superior to mine."

"But…but…," I stutter intelligently.

"Do not worry; you are not the first to make that erroneous assumption. In fact only a small handful of my predecessors where ninjas. Not even our founder Toshimuru-sama was. He was a martial artist and a warrior, he only learned the Art partially after he carving this school from the mountain."

"But…I...why did he even carve the school in the first place then?" I ask with true interest in history for a change.

"Toshimuru-sama was the only survivor of his clan, who were wiped away during a war that lasted for many decades. As the last true master of Thai Xin Pek Qwar he wandered our country for many years before choosing this place as the location for his legacy to rest. He built this school in hopes of gathering talented individual to learn from him and preserve the knowledge of Thai Xin Pek Qwar through the ages. He failed."

"He what?"

"He failed Stoppable-san. At the sunset of his long life only one student managed to master that subtle art. Not nearly enough to grant the survival of that knowledge. Finding himself with little time he opted for a different solution."

"…the monkey idols?" I try to suggest.

"Exactly. At the cost of what was left of his life he poured his knowledge into the four idols and keyed the Lotus Blade to react only to those who carried within themselves that legacy."

I pale at the implication of that tidbit of information.

"But…I destroyed those idols…so…the knowledge of Thai Xin Pek Qwar is lost forever?" I didn't expect Sensei to shake his head in response.

"Not quite Stoppable-san. In fact right there are now five persons whom carry within them the full knowledge of that art, two of them are in this room."

"Oh I see, so you're a master of Thai Xin Pek Qwar Sensei, that's cool."

Silence. Why isn't he saying anything anymore?

_/D'oy idiot. Turn your brain on./_

\…?...!\

"WHAT?" I explode as soon as the realization sinks in my mind. "Me?" I ask pointing my index finger toward my face. "A master of Thai Xin Pek Qwar?"

"Indeed Stoppable-san. Have you not wondered where those skills you used against me came from? Your form is sloppy due to your lack of practice, but you have all the knowledge within."

A cold feeling suddenly dawns upon me.

"But that means…" I swallow a knot in my throat. "That means everything I've done so far is because I was exposed to the Mystical Monkey Power.."

"Nonsense, do you perhaps believe that Possible-sans accomplishment comes from her knowledge of martial arts?"

"What? Of course not," I reply. "She does what she does because she applies it, it's because she has…"

"…chosen to act. That is all that truly matters Stoppable-san. We are each born different, and under different circumstances we grow. It is what we decide to do with what is given to us through our lives that defines who we are. We are who we chose to be. You choose to fight two years ago, and your resolve granted you access to the knowledge of Thai Xing Pek Qwar. You choose not to run two months ago and the Blade has given her allegiance to you for that very same reason. For better or worse you are who you made yourself Stoppable-san. That is all there is to it. Never doubt that your accomplishments are your own. "

"I see, thanks Sensei I needed to hear that," I reply with that weight lifted from my shoulders

"You are welcome Stoppable-san. I have one last thing to ask of you."

"Sure, whatever you need just name it?"

"The Jester," he says, "I would like to speak with him directly."

I answer by looking away from him, when our gazes meet again 'The Grin' is splitting across my face and a malicious intent is filling the air.

"So! You wanted to speak with me old man? Well, here I am, 'The Jester' at your service. Yah ah ah."

The old man looks at me as though I'm some sort of strange creature. This isn't a zoo, White-beard, stop your fucking staring.

"Interesting," the old goat says stroking said beard. "You are the same person yet so different. It is as though all common restraint has been turned off. Please tell me Jester-san, is there something you can not morally do while you are in control?"

"Jester-san?" I snarl. "What the fuck is that shit, old man? Lose the composure; I'm not the goody goody Buffoon. There's no need for shitty suffix when you talk to me and… what? Calm down Buffoon. He's the one who asked to speak with me ain't he? Well then…oh fine, sheesh." The old goat looks at me even more curiously than before. "Buffoon–san wants me to tell you that despite my colorful language we both respect you…Sensei, and that he apologizes on my behalf . Was that good enough for ya? Geez you are such a good little boy."

The old man chuckles in response.

"Do not worry Stoppable-san, both of you. I am the one who requested that you release your restraints. I have been told far worse; more often than not by own students."

"Oooh? And you let them get away with it?" I ask disbelieving.

"No, I usually beat that attitude out of them before they begin training Stoppable-san."

"Ya ah ah. You are funny old go…ghkk…Sensei. Damn."

"Hmm. Then you are not completely in control Jester-san?" Sensei asks.

"There's no such thing as '_control'_ between us, old…Sensei. We are one and the same; the sum of us makes Ron Stoppable. The Buffoon is just usually at forefront because that's for the best. Sooner or later we will completely join and there will be only one persona, a mixture of us both. We already share some traits of the other, The Buffoon is not the wimp he used to be and I'm not the ruthless monster I could have been if we walked down that path."

Sensei…I mean the old man…is nodding at my revelation.

"That is good, yin and yang should not be separated, even if most people tend to deny one in favor of the other. Perhaps your madness is one path to enlightenment and freedom Stoppable-san. I am glad I did not have to…terminate you."

"Hmm? You say that like it would have been easy, Sensei. I could have killed and wounded a good portion of your students before you managed to do that. Although I am curious, what made you think that I'm not the threat you thought I could have been? I feel slightly insulted by that."

"Do not be. I know that you can be a threat if you choose to be, but much like Buffoon-san said I know that is not your intention. You are not violent in a purposeless way; you are more an agent of '_chaos'_ rather than '_evil',_so to speak."

"An…agent of chaos? Ya ah ah. You're funny old man. I've watched that one too. Fitting, The Joker and the Batman wrapped in one. Ya ah, very well Sensei. I accept your reasons and we trust you, but remember…" with a nudge from my mind the Blade comes to my hand with the usual show of lights, "if you change your mind and betray us, we won't go down without a fight."

"If you did not Stoppable-san, I would have to question your sanity all over again," he concludes with a chuckle.

We both laugh at the dissipating tension when suddenly a soft creaking noise draws our attention.

Neither of us speaks but we are both very well aware that we are being listened to. By the look on Sensei's face I can tell that it wasn't his idea. One of the students must have become a little too curious. Well it's not like it really matters to me, I'm not trying to hide anything even though I'm not exactly advertising the fact that I'm bipolar. I'd rather leave any disciplinary action in Sensei's care, it's his school, his job, not mine.

"Anyway Sensei, what kind of training regimen have you been planning for me?" I ask letting the Buffoon coming back to the surface.

"Hm, considering that your knowledge in Thai Xin Pek Qwar is already at a master's level it would be pointless to guide you directly. I will assign you to a younger student to assist your physical training. You need to work of your form as well, but this is learned through practice and repetition, something you can do on your own. Depending on your progresses over the week we may eventually work on your swordsmanship."

"Uuuhh…so I'm so good that I need only to refine the basics?" I ask somewhat surprised by his response. I was thinking about a super-secret training or something like that.

"No Stoppable-san. How would an American put it…you suck so much that you need to learn things from the beginning despite the fact you have an _unfair_ advantage over anyone else."

"D'oh! That teaches me not to be so cocky." I reply ashamed. Sensei simply chuckles.

"Do not worry, none are safe from that error. I suppose Yori-san told you this already, but so long as you do not become complacent in your training and in battle you will do fine." Sensei's words reassure me and ignite my will to train.

I really want to see what kind of improvements I can make in one month of training here. In this place where fighting is a lifestyle and without distractions I'm sure I can improve even faster than before.

* * *

"N-NANI? Me teaching Stoppable-sama how to fight?" Asks a shocked Hitomi. When I called her my senpai earlier today I said it as a joke, to push her buttons. I certainly didn't expect Sensei to ask her to tutor me for real.

"That is correct child. I believe that Stoppable-san can benefit a great deal from interacting with you as you yourself will have a chance to improve if you measure yourself against and with him. Your English requires a great deal of improvement, and you will help your fellow student to learn our language and culture," Sensei explains matter-of-factly. Wait what?

"Er…Sensei, are you telling me that I'm supposed to…study?" The aged teacher turns to look at me with a stern gaze.

"Indeed Stoppable-san. There is no point in training the body alone. The mind must also be sharpened to use ones skills properly. No matter how fast it is thrown, a dull kunai will never pierce. You of all people should know by now what impact your mind has over your abilities."

"Uh, you got me there Sensei. Alright, Makimura-senpai I entrust myself to you. Please teach me whatever Sensei deems needed," I tell her with a bow. Hitomi stutters for a moment taken aback by my respectful behavior but quickly recovers and answer in kind.

"It will be my honor to teach you and to learn from you Stoppable-sama."

"Very well then, I will leave the two of you to each other. I will oversee your improvements in five days. Do not fail me." The last statement is delivered with a hint of a threat. By the look of Hitomi's paling face I'd guess that it won't be a good idea to disappoint the old man.

As soon as the old man slides the door closed behind him Hitomi slumps on her knees trembling.

"H…Makimura-senpai? Are you all right?" I ask concerned.

"H…Hai, Stoppable-sama do you understand what just happened?"

"Err…besides Sensei basically telling us not to disappoint him unless we want to incur in some kind of punishment I don't even want to think about? No, nothing beyond that."

"Stoppable-sama! Sensei entrusted our training to each other. It is unheard of. He must trust in your abilities a great deal to grant you this kind of treatment. His untold praise is a great honor. How can I possibly respond to it?"

"Uh…geez, that's really flattering…although…doesn't that mean that he trusts in your abilities at least the same as mine Makimura-senpai?" I ask her honestly. It makes sense to me that we must be somewhat equals or at least complementary if he paired us together.

"Eh? No it cannot be, I am just a beginner and not even the brightest of my age. Quite the opposite...perhaps he thinks only the Chosen Wielder can possibly make a miracle and help me improve."

I don't like the way she puts herself down, it reminds me too much of my old self.

"I happen to disagree with you Makimura-senpai, but let's let actions speak for ourselves, what do you say?"

"But…certainly you would rather like a more experienced tutor, another student. Maybe Tanaka-san? I…I cannot possibly…." All right now that's really getting on my nerves. I can already see why Sensei paired us together. I used to be like her not too long ago. Maybe I can show her how to step up and leave her doubts behind.

"I trust Sensei's judgment in this matter and you should do the same. Tell you what, by the end of the week you teach me how to hold a basic conversation in Japanese and polish my fighting skills, and I'll do the same for you. What do you say? Before telling yourself that you can't make it, why don't you do your best till the end? You aren't a quitter aren't you?"

Something in my words must pushed a button in her because she jumps back on her feet pumping her fist, flames burning in her eyes.

"NO WAY!" She shouts. "We of the Makimura Clan pride ourselves with our determination to see things through to the end. We never give up and we never step back, that is our way." Her sudden change in attitude makes me think that maybe she's bipolar as well. Naaah. She just has extreme mood swings. _/Lucky us./_

"Way to go Makimura-senpai, that's the attitude. Now let's get to it and surprise Sensei at the end of the week."

"Hai! Follow me Stoppable-sama, we are going to work on your Japanese until lunchtime."

"Eh? But it's barely seven in morning, that's more than five hours away."

"Indeed," she says as I follow her to another building. "That should be just enough time to cover? the basic grammar. By the end of the week you'll be able to hold a decent conversation even if it means we have to stay up through every night practicing!"

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me." But it's no joke, I'm afraid this excursion in Japan is really going to be a cultural exchange this time. A part of me wants to kick myself for forgetting just where I was.

A _school_ for ninja.

* * *

"I can't believe that you made me go over the entire 'Japanese for Dummies®' book in one go Senpai," I tell Hitomi.

"Oh, it is not that bad, I reviewed all my base English courses in the meanwhile. We must live up to Sensei expectations after all, and after lunch we are going to work on the basics of Thai Xin Pek Qwar. Make sure to eat light Stoppable-sama."

"Lighter that this?" I look down my plate where my 'launch' is waiting to be eaten. A scoop of white rice, fish stick sized fish steaks and some steamed vegetables. Oh it's all good stuff, nutrients and all that but still…._*GROOWLLL* _Yep. My stomach expresses it better than words ever could. Ahhh. It's useless to complain. I'd better eat before it gets cold. I'm just glad she got my tray for me. I'm still nowhere near fast enough to get anything from the lunch lady.

Among the gathered students I spot Yori. Our gazes lock for a fraction of second, just enough for her to recognize me and turn away. Wha…what was that? I try to find her among the crowd but she's just vanished. What the hell?

"Stoppable-sama? Is there any problem?" HItomi asks.

"Uh, I'm not sure senpai. I thought I spotted Yori in here but it's like she's avoiding me or something. I didn't offend her or anything did I?"

"I would not know, I find it unlikely though. Tanaka-senpai is very harsh when it comes to training but she is a very gentle and kind of person. Knowing you I find it hardly believable that you could have done something intentionally to upset her to the point of avoiding you. It is probably something school related. I saw her walking out of Sensei's study on our way here."

"And…she would avoid me why?" I ask.

"Again I do not know. Perhaps you could ask Sensei if this troubles you so. However do not expect to receive an answer, at least not a direct one. This is a ninja school after all; keeping information secret is what we do."

"You're right; it's worth a try though. I'd ask her directly but it doesn't look like she wants to speak to me right now. Uuuh, on second thought, maybe I'll wait a couple of days and see if I can talk to her first. I wouldn't want to offend her for real by asking someone else about her business."

"A most sensible decision Stoppable-sama," she says honestly. "It is not polite to put your foot into other people business without permission. Being a ninja matter it might also be extremely unhealthy."

"Yeah. I can see that, the expression is 'your nose' not 'your foot' by the way…w-wait a second, weren't you the one suggesting that I should ask Sensei just a moment ago?"

"Yes Stoppable-sama," she answers without a hint of shame.

"Did I piss you off or something, senpai? Cause from what you just said it sounds like you just tried to get me killed or in some serious pain."

"Not at all, you asked a question, I merely pointed out a possible course of action. In his or her career a ninja must often choose a choice that might lead to death. That is why the very first lesson here at Yamanouchi is to think before making a decision."

_/A most useful lesson considering your case./_

\Oh great, now I'm getting picked on by myself.\

_/And that is why YOU are the Buffoon./_

"So this was just another lesson, senpai?" I ask Hitomi. She smiles at me like she would to a child.

"Everything is a lesson here. You must always consider if there is any underlying meaning to every situation you come across within these walls," she explains.

"And here I thought I was just being paranoid. It's good to know that I'm not the weirdest apple in the basket," I say with a sigh.

"Being paranoid has nothing to do with being weird, Stoppable-sama. For a ninja it is the only way to survive."

"And that is why I'm not going to make a career out of it, senpai. Come on, let's eat. My stomach is killing me."

* * *

And here I thought that worst part of the day was behind me when I closed that book. How naïve. That half pint of a senpai _/Like we are that much taller/_ deemed it a good idea to review this mornings material while we trained. And what a training it was. First we started with what she _called_ a light warm up, which consisted of running up and down the fucking mountain trail for a whole hour. If that was light I was really scared what kind of training they would call heavy. Then again there must be a reason if my senpai could have whooped my old self's ass with her hands behind her back.

At the end of the warm up she started instructing me on the basis physical training. Since I have complete knowledge of Thai Xin Pek Qwar embedded in my brain I had to work on using my muscles properly. There are thousands of way to throw a punch and most of them are either outright wrong, slow, dispersive or self damaging. This is where I learned that knowing something and knowing how to do it are two different things altogether. The countless repetition of punches and kicks went on until sunset, all the while she kept asking me questions on this mornings material or explaining to me either this or that part of her language. Japanese is as fascinating as it complex. The length of a vowel can make all the difference in a single word. You have to be precise even in the way you breathe if you want to make some sense when you speak. I swear I'm never going to complain about Mr. B's English lessons once I get back.

By dinnertime I had not a single drop of energy left in my body or my brain for that matter. Or at least I thought so. Even the Jester was particularly silent. He had worked alongside me the whole time today. IT was the only way for me to actually absorb something from today's training. Little did I know that it was just the beginning.

It's midnight now and we just closed the book _again_, I can barely keep my eye open but Hitomi is still as fresh as this morning. I don't know if that's because she's used to it but I'm sure that tonight I'm too tired to even dream like usual. Well there is that upside I guess.

"I believe we can call it a day Stoppable-sama. I am impressed by your effort. You did really well today," Hitomi says proudly. I am glad that all this effort was worth something.

"Thanks senpai, you did great too. I don't think you used a single Japanese term all day while teaching me, outside when you were…err…teaching me Japanese."

"I did? I did not notice, thank you Stoppable-sama. At this rate I believe that we can really manage to impress Sensei by the end of the week."

"Hm. I really hope so," I reply through half lidded eyes.

"You should go to sleep now. You are not yet used to our lifestyle. Do you think you can manage to reach your room?"

"I'll…crawl. Don't be surprised if you find me asleep down the corridor tomorrow morning though."

"*Chuckle* I do not think that you would want to do that. Despite being summer at this altitude the temperature is very low at night. It is better if you sleep in your futon Stoppable-sama."

"Yeah. I guess so. I'll be going then. I'll see you…in four hours senpai. G'night."

"Good night, Stoppable-sama," she replies with a wave of her hand as I slide the door of her room behind me.

She was right. It's definitely freezing out here. I'd better get to my room quickly or I'll catch a cold.

The place is even more silent than usual. The air has this eerie feeling to it and the shadows look deeper than usual despite the light from the almost full moon shining down on us. There is something out of place and I'm not talking about the presence of the hidden ninjas I can sometimes feel around me. I stop and look around. Everything looks fine to me but still…I don't know maybe it's the moonlight but it's like the air is…I don't know how to describe it… thicker? No, that's not the right word. It's a familiar feeling but I can't quite point out where or when I felt that before.

Then I look up at the Moon and for a moment, as is stare it the oddly red orb, something flashes in my mind, but it's gone before I can grasp what it was.

"Beautiful," I say looking at the only source of light in this cold night. That's right. I don't know why but I've never saw the moon this red before. Sure I saw it some shade of that color back in the US but it was from all the air pollution. Not the kind of thing I'd expect to see up here where the air is so clear. It gives me an odd feeling of anticipation and excitement as if something was supposed to happen tonight.

Bah. I'm probably too tired and my mind is making things up. I really need to go to bed before I collapse out here.

I resume walking to my room, unable to shake off that feeling. As I slide the door closed behind me that sensation seems to dull a little, but it's still there.

…

I'm thinking too much. I'd better go to sleep.

And so I slide under the warm covers of my futon, seeking for the embrace of Morpheus once more. I don't have to wait long for the tiredness to catch up with me. Yet, as I slip into unconsciousness, I can't shake off the feeling that even if there's only me in this room right now I'm not as alone as I'd like to believe. I would be totally freaked out if this _'presence'_ didn't feel so warm and comforting. So… familiar….

* * *

Author notes:

First and foremost I'm sorry for the delay in updating. Both my beta and I have been through some tough times and this reflected on the update rate.

About the review:

To Cows are my friends: Thanks. I'm glad you are enjoying the story.

To Noone Special: don't worry, corrections are always well received. Don't fear of pointing out whatever we might have missed. Please take a look to Kenju's note at the end of the page.

To CajunBear73: Oh yeah. The world is all the same wherever you go. We are all humans thus prone to the same behaviors. And about Legacy we will have a little insight in this arc already.

To daccu65: Hey man. Haven't been hearing from you in a while. Yes, from now on things will get heated. Yori will have a sitch of her own about Ron and as her background will be revelaed. Expect some drama.

To EpicJargon: Thanks. I'll try to live up to your expectations.

To Sentinel103: Five to one is _never_ a good thing. Unless you are one of the five that is...

To pbow: As I've told already Legacy will play a little part alreadu in this arc. Nothing major, just a prelude. I'll keep your vote into cosideration about the pairing.

To Zeroeye: Thanks.

To Kamikaze24: Thank you. No comments about Hitomi's future for the time being.

To Comet Jim: She's coming don't worry.

To sh8ad8ow: Thanks

To rederjunkie: I was wondering what happened to you. I'm glad you're still enjoying my story.

Till next time everyone.

* * *

Kenju's note

To Noone special: The majority of my translations were from memory, but the two you corrected me on were actually from a translation site, funny how they were the only ones I got wrong huh?

**This chapters translations:**

Nani-what


	58. Nakama

**Chapter 36 – Nakama (not yet edited)**

* * *

The sun is rising over the grounds of Yamanouchi once more this morning. Not surprisingly I've been wide awake way before sunrise, this time though I've avoided another trip to the bath until the whole school was awake. I had no intention of getting clobbered again.

Not having anything better to do before breakfast I went for a jog over one of the many mountain trails that surrounds the school. The steep paths offer a much more complex and difficult track for a run than the streets of Middelton. Between the almost vertical road and the lack of oxygen due to the altitude the effort required to complete my routine is exponentially higher. On the other hand the high altitude training should prove more effective than it could be anywhere else. I guess working your ass over has its perks.

I'm back into the school grounds just in time to catch a bath and head over to breakfast where I sit again with my senpai Hitomi and her friends. Little good did searching for Yori. She didn't show up at breakfast again today, which doesn't mean that she wasn't there, only that I couldn't see her. Either way I really can't understand her behavior. Just two days ago everything seemed fine but after that discussion yesterday… No. Thinking about it she seemed apologetic back than but after watching my spar with Sensei she started avoiding me like the plague. I really wonder if perhaps Sensei has something to do with it or not. If by tomorrow I don't manage to corner her and clear the air I'll take my chances and asks Sensei about it.

For the time being I should focus on eating breakfast and getting ready for today's workload. My senpai might not be the most talented ninja around but she certainly makes it up for it with sheer effort and willpower. I wonder what kind of motives could drive such a young girl to try so hard at this. Being a ninja isn't exactly a girl greatest dream isn't it? Of course there's nothing wrong for a girl to want to be a ninja, I just wonder how did she came to be here. For what I understand many of the students here are orphans but Hitomi spoke of her clan so I don't think she has lost her whole family. In any case it's best to avoid assumptions unless I want to make an ass out of myself. I so don't need that. Once again I could ask somebody else about it, but we know that it's not that much of a good idea around here.

Perhaps if we grow a little closer I could ask her. I don't want to risk incurring in any awkward sitch with her, like mentioning her dead parents or something. It's better if I live up to the spirit of this school and be sneaky about it, probing for info here and there. Yeah that sounds like a good plan. Now let's see if we have the brain to pull it off.

"Hey, senpai. What's the program today?" I ask Hitomi who's sitting right next to me.

"Well," she begins while placing her hashi back on her plate, "since we have more time than yesterday morning we should join the others in the morning kata exercises and after that we can review yesterday material until you know the basic of the grammar by heart. Before lunch we will have an hour long run like yesterday and after we will begin to study more in detail the basic form of Thai Xin Pek Qwar until dinner time. After dinner we will again study until midnight," she concludes like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"That is… pretty intense," I comment dryly.

"I am aware of it. Yet we cannot do anything but our very best in the short time it has been given us. By the way you should finish your meal quickly, Stoppable-sama. The sooner we begin the more material we can cover by luch."

"Hai senpai."

* * *

Three days passed just like that. Studying, practicing and learning from my midget senpai. Hitomi's positive and unrelenting attitude in infectious and makes you believe that you can do anything. I really enjoyed myself through our efforts and every night I fell asleep after staring at the red moon a little more satisfied and proud of myself. I still don't know where I'm headed or the meaning of what I'm doing but regardless of that I can feel that I'm on the right path.

With Hitomi I've learned plenty of things. Japanese culture is imbued with pride and even their words carry a deeper meaning than English. Every action is purposeful here at Yamanouchi. There is nothing wasted and every failure is a step closer to success. Hitomi is the embodiment of this. She never quits, no matter what. It doesn't matter how difficult the task ahead is. She faces it and walks forward, standing back up every time she is taken down. I managed to discover very little of her except for the fact that both her parents are alive and well, she has two older siblings and all of her family graduated from Yamanouchi with flying colors. Well maybe it isn't that little, but she avoided details at all costs. I get the impression that she's trying to define herself beyond her family expectation while trying to live up to them at the same time. Senpai is truly an amazing person for someone like me that used to not stand up for almost anything. I must thank Sensei for pairing me up with her.

I came to understand why Hitomi isn't that liked around here. It's not for her loudness of her supposed lack of talent. It's her cheerfulness that it's almost hurting to witness. She's carrying such a vibrant light that the innate darkness a ninja dwells in is almost dispelled naturally. Being such a shining person she must actually have a great deal of talent or put a lot of effort in the Art to negate her existence. So much for not being kunoichi material.

Yori kept avoiding me. I'm guessing since she was nowhere to be seen. I'm really tempted to ask Sensei about her but my days are extremely busy and I can't find the time to track our teacher and interrogate him.

Since I first saw the red moon the dreams changed. They became recurrent and the subject was no longer a battle. The only thing I saw was this japanese woman with short black hair and red eyes, clad in an equally blood red kimono. Her presence felt reassuring and familiar and albeit she never answered any of my question I got the feeling that I have known her for a long time. The truly odd part is that the following mornings I was completely rested even if I had slept just three or four hours. I never questioned it since it appeared that the answer was nowhere within reach. I just accepted gladly the gift and went along with my day, to my senpai great surprise.

-oOo-

The fifth day things started going truly downward. We were just returning from our jog outside the walls when the first sign of trouble showed up. I never expected this trip to be uneventful, quite the opposite in fact. Still the current situation is beyond what I had expected.

The crystal clear air had something wrong in it. A less aware individual wouldn't have noticed but it didn't slip by me. We were being followed. Form who and for what purpose was yet unknown. Still, with the school being so close by, there wasn't a chance that it was an outsider. Whomever it was it came from within the walls.

"Senpai?" I ask lacing the question with a deeper meaning.

"I have noticed as well. They are not doing a very good job at hiding. They might as well show themselves at this point."

On cue with her words five black clad figures shimmers into existence around us. Hmm. Being surrounded and outnumbered is never a good thing.

After a moment of silence one of the ninja speaks from behind his mask.

"Outsider, our esteemed Sensei assigned us to remove your presence from this world. The Lotus Blade was never meant to fall in your hands. Any last words?"

I look at him with my only eye wondering if they really take me for such an idiot.

"You lie," is my short answer before I summon the Blade behind my back, meeting my hand from over my shoulder, just in time to stop a swing from a ninja aimed to my spine. I turn my head around just enough to look into my assailant eyes. For a long moment we just both stare at each other. "D'oy. Did you really think that you could actually hit me without me noticing when you're leaking that much killing intent? If you are going to underestimate me that much you are going to get hurt. … Scratch that. You fuckers are going to get hurt EITHER WAY!" I scream the last part, letting the Jester join the Buffoon while pushing back the nameless ninja that attacked me from behind.

Taking advantage of his staggering I leap forward along with my Senpai, changing the Balde to a Bo staff, unleashing punishment against the student who spoke to us. It's amazing how Hitomi and I are in sync just after a few days of working together. The speaker stands no chance against our combined attack. Both her punch and the staff meet the target at the same time, sending the unlucky idiot sailing away.

Of course our luck ends right here. The others aren't that stupid and albeit surprised by our fast response they quickly stop standing still and begin attacking us at the same time. Too bad that being trained as ninjas, teamwork was never part of the course material. I on the other hand, and Hitomi to a degree are become somewhat used to working with someone else. Adding the unpredictability of the Lotus Blade to our teamwork the odds are somewhat equal, despite Hitomi not being on par with older students.

Still the battle isn't easy. This guys are trained assassins, fast, determined and lethal. On the upside they are so wired into making every single attack a deadly one that their range of attacks are rather easy to predict. Either I've overestimated Yamanouchi ninjas or I'm better than I've thought. Nah perhaps it's just that someone like me is the worst kind of foe they could ever find themselves against. As a fighter I0m unpredictable and with my perception and knowledge of the Art there's little chance for them to take me by surprise. A ninja greatest weapon lies in striking from the shadows. Deprived of that only an handful might prove difficult to handle. They are not warriors. Fighting face to face is not their main specialization. Perhaps only a senior student can keep up with me in terms of fighting.

"Stoppable-sama. Focus on the battle," Hitomi screams seeing a blade missing my face by mere inches. She's right. I've been getting complacent already. I can't underestimate anybody. Setting my mind into the game I focus my mind on the ongoing battle.

It's thought and this guys are determined to see my blood. Not that I'm any willing to concede them. Hitomi's holding her ground fairly well with me backing her up. She might doubt herself before doing something but when she puts her mind to it she's unrelenting and focused. Looking at her fighting I see that Yori's was right about her and I understand Sensei's choice. She's not really ninja material. She's more similar to me in more way than another. Sensei, when you paired me with her were you giving me a way to look at myself?

"STOPPABLE-SAMA! FOCUS!" Woops.

Five minutes later the last ninja hits the ground with a loud thud. These guys just kept getting up over and over. Of course we weren't trying to kill them for obvious reasons but they sure were though.

"Had enough?" I ask the groaning group on the grond.

"H-how did you know we were lying?" The only just that spoke thus far asks. I almost laugh at his naivety.

"Cause if Sensei wanted me dead he would have come himself and wouldn't send such incompetent ninjas to do the job. You had lost the advantage from the moment we sensed you. Knowing the level of my skill Sensei wouldn't have sent people like you. Plus I trust Sensei unconditionally. I certainly wouldn't think that he'd betray me without me doing something to warrant such a treatment. The question is… who told you about my conversation with Sensei?"

I had just a fraction of second from when I've perceived the presence behind me and when he spoke.

"It doesn't quite matter Stoppable-san. The eavesdropper has already been dealt with."

I turn around to face the newcomer. A tall guy with tanned skin and long hair standing up. Not exactly the proper ninja attire. This guys has… personality.

"You have me at a disadvantage here. You know my name but I don't know yours."

The guy stares at me with an arrogant look, sincerely pondering if he should bother giving me his name. I don't even know his name and this guy is getting on my nerves already. Finally he decides that it's better to tell me, even if just out of politeness.

"My name is Hikataka Hirotaka, Stoppable-san. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise." The distaste in both our voices is telling a whole different story though.

"Hikataka-senpai?" Asks Hitomi. "What are doing here? Certainly you are not with this lot."

This Hirotaka guy looks at Hitomi with a snarl, as if the the simple idea of him associating with the group on the ground was itself insulting.

"Who do you take me for Makimura-kouhai? Do not associate me with the likes of them. Failures both as ninjas and as fighters."

With a collective groan the defeated group express their disappointment at the clearly more talented student's words.

"So," I interject, "since you aren't with this group, what bring you here on this wonderful morning Hikataka-san?"

Hirotaka simply smirks in response.

"Well, the fact that they are failures doesn't make them wrong. You shouldn't have laid your hands of the sacred Blade Outsider. The punishment for your sin is death."

Just like that the fake politeness is dropped and this guy is suddenly sending throwing punches my way.

"Hitomi!" I shout. "Stand back. This guy is mine."

"B-but…" she stammers.

"No buts. Please just stay out of it."

Without waiting for an affirmative response I fully engage Hirotaka.

The guy is good. I can tell where is confidence is steaming from. His movements are fluid and precise. His form is almost flawless, there are only minor mistakes in his Thai Xin Pek Qwar. Wait a minute… Monkey kung-fu? Is this guy Sensei's disciple? Damn. This situation isn't good. This guy is more a fighter than the others. There is only one thing I can do.

Putting some distance between us I do the last thing any of the present ever thought I could possibly do. I discard the Lotus Blade and shift my body into the first defensive stance of Thai Xin Pek Qwar. Steeling my resolve I meet Hirotaka's surpised gaze.

"Kisama… Do you think that you can possibly win against me, an experienced Thai Xin Pek Qwer user, without the aid of the Lotus Blade? Pick it back up and fight me."

"If you think that I can win against you by wielding the blade then you haven't understood anything about me. Now if you don't have anything meaningful to add, shut the fuck up and bring it."

"Your death Outsider."

And without further words we get back to fighting.

The difference in our skill would be obvious even to the most inexperienced onlooker. This guy must have trained since he was a little more that a child or must have gone through some hellish training. There's no other explanation to his level of skill. Yet, I know for sure that wielding the Blade against him wouldn't have brought me any form of "Victory".

We trade blows for a long time, although he is stronger than me I am able to perform better against him than Sensei, both for the evident difference in ability between them and because my form as improved already in the past two days. No matter how you look at it just by polishing the basis a little, the proficiency of the higher techniques are improved by a great deal. Now if I manage to survive this fight I might actually find out how far I can get.

Our battle goes on and on until I finally manage to slip a punch through his guard, hitting him squarely in the face. He staggers back and I take my chances by closing the gap and delivering a spinning kick to his head. He avoids it, barely, and quickly regains his composure, pushing me back once more. My attack must have enraged him pretty badly because his reaction is truly vicious. The form of his attack switches from an equilibrated one that doesn't favor offence or defense in favor of an aggressive one. Roundhouse kicks and back palm blows opens up his guard more than before but I have to close mine further to avoid being slaughtered by the seemingly endless flow of blows.

Finally he's able to slip a punch through my guard on to my stomach. The air rushes out my lungs, drawing a satisfied smirk from my opponent. A smirk that is mirrored by my own. He has just a moment to realize that he had become complacent that my fist meets his jaw with a powerful crack. That's right bitch. The King of Clowns can take punishment like nobody else. Too bad that I made exactly the same mistake as he did, and his kick met my stomach without any interference on our part.

_\We are such an idiot.\_

/Ditto./

I have no time to swallow in self pity cause my opponent decides to end the battle by getting at me before I had a chance to regain my stance. Blow after blow he strikes at me until I can no longer feel my body. I can faintly hear Hitomi crying my name from somewhere far away as I fall back devastated by the onslaught.

My fall is stopped by someone holding me by the collar of my shirt. I can barely open my eye and look in the face of my foe.

"Nase? Why?" He asks. "Why didn't you use the blade against me? You could have won."

"Victory? What sort of victory would have been if I fought an unarmed opponent wielding a weapon? What's the point of victory if I'm not able to look at myself in the mirror after I've achieved it? What is your concept of victory? To step upon your own honor in order to defeat your foe? Would you call that victory?"

"That would be my question as well, Hikataka-san." Both our heads snap to the side at the sound of Sensei's voice. Though the aged teacher looks unperturbed the air his filled by his quiet rage. The man is highly disappointed and for once I sigh in relief since it's not addressed toward me.

"S-Sensei I…" Hirotaka stutters. The students are trembling in fear now that he had find out their scheme.

"I cannot convey how disappointed I am at your behavior. You have ashamed your name and the name of Yamanouchi by attacking our guest. Remove yourselves from my presence at once. I shall deal your punishment later tonight."

"Sensei we…" one of the students tries to protest but he's quickly silenced by the teacher stern gaze. Without another word everyone fades away with the exception of Sensei and Hitomi. He looks at me with an apologetic look. He truly is wounded by his students behavior.

"My apologies, Stoppable-san. It appears that lately I've become too complacent in instilling discipline upon my pupils. They shall be punished properly for their misbehavior. Are you in need of medical assistance?" I shake my head.

"Nah. I've got it worse that this over the years and it seems that I've been healing faster laterly. No broken bones or anything. I should be fine by tomorrow morning."

"I see. Then I shall leave you to your senpai's care. Oh, and Stoppable-san? I am looking forward to your development by the end of the week." And with those last words he disappears as well. I could feel… pride into his voice? I'm not sure.

Sitting on the ground, suddenly my head is snapped to the side by a pair of hands and I find myself staring into Hitomi's eyes filled with amazement.

"Sugoi. Sugoi Stoppable-sama. You fought almost on par with Hikataka-senpai and your through your words and actions you've gained Sensei's respect. Such an awesome person. I am so happy to be your partner Stoppable-sama. Your words…. Your words… eh…" Suddenly she lets my head blushing profusely. What the heck?

"Senpai are you all right?" Mabye she had been hit during the first fight and I didn't notice.

"Uhm… Stoppable-sama you…" She doesn't dare to look at me. "You didn't notice did you?"

"Notice? Notice what?"

"You have called me… by my first name."

"I did?" I don't really remember. "So?"

"Uhm. In Japan calling someone by first name without any suffix implies a great… intimacy? It is normally used only between relatives close friends or…. or lovers…"

"Ah. Uh. I see. Sorry about that I…. I didn't mean to disrespect you or to imply anything. I swear."

"I.. I know," she stutters. "It's just, You caught me by surprise."

"Err… would it be all right for you to call by my first name too?" I propose. "With suffix of course."

"R-R-R-Ronald-san?"

"Ron-san would suffice.. Hitomi-san?" She nods meekly her blush receding to acceptable levels. "It's for the better isn't it? We studied together and fought together now. We are… nakama?" Again she nods smiling the blush fully gone from her face.

"Well then Ron-san. We should go and have your wounds checked. Before lunch if you want to eat before dinner."

Before she has a chance to blink I'm already speeding toward the grounds, completely ingnoring the pain in my muscles. I don't need to turn around to that she's right behind me. My nakama.

* * *

Walking toward my lunch alongside Hitomi I was honestly thinking that my confrontation with that Hirotaka guy was probably the highlight of the day if not of my whole permanence here. God knows I should have stopped making these kind of assumptions long time ago.

I don't know why she didn't notice me. Perhaps I've bocame really good at sneaking around, perhaps she just had her guard down, I don't know. Matter of fact is that I suddenly am in line for my lunch and Yori is standing right in front of me her back turned to me. Before my brain has the time to get into gear my tongue is already in motion.

"Oh, Yori," now taking a trained ninja by surprise is quite a feat yet it's extremely dangerous. I suppose I'm quite lucky that after almost jumping out of her skin she didn't try to stab me or something. Instead she turns around pale faced, looking like she just saw a ghost.

"St… Stoppable-san," she stutters.

"Yup. That's me. Haven't seen you around lately Yori. I've got the impression that you were avoiding me or something. Uh. You weren't avoiding me, were you?" I ask feigning ignorance.

Rather than answering me she opts for a quick escape, jumping away from me and in between the crowd, initiating to Fade as she does so. Too bad for her that I'm in no mood to be left behind again. I'm going to the bottom of this matter now. Focusing my awareness solely on her I jump in the same direction she has taken and pursue her to the door. She's barely a blur to my eyes, a clear sign that her ability to hide from me is still far superior to my ability to spot her despite knowing that she's here.

Luckily when it comes to running I've the upper hand. Just before she manages to reach the door I grab her wrist, the contact dispelling the effect of her art. Too bad I wasn't expecting, like everybody else present in the room, the following development.

"DO NOT TOUCH ME!" _*SLAP*_

My head is snapped to the side by the unexpected blow. Flashes of a night two months ago rush through my mind and before I have the chance to opt for a different course of action my hand is already gripping her wrist to the point of making her flinch. When my gaze locks with her again the Jester is in full swing, the words already at the tip of my tongue.

"All right. I don't know what got your panties in a twist _Tanaka-san_," I almost spit the polite form making quite clear the distinction from the previously, perhaps overfriendly, appellative, "and until you get your head out of your ass and deal with it I won't particularly care. The only reason why I'm not going to pay you back in kind it's because somehow I believe that I have done something wrong. However I won't take shit from anybody, not even you. Fair warning; since you don't want to explain to me what the fuck is wrong, or even being polite enough to ask me to give you some space, I'm going to consider us even for whatever thing I might have done to you. That was the only free shot you had. From now on it's all fair game. Watch whose feet you step on from now on, Tanaka-san."

With those last bitter words I release her arm and storm out of the place, leaving the audience slaw jacked and silent. Perhaps learning from my own misadventure Hitomi doesn't follow me. It's better like this. I need to blow some steam off and let the Jester recede before interacting with anybody else, least they want me to rip their head off.

* * *

Half an hour later, as I'm sitting in the Lotus Position under the shadow of a tree in one of the farthest corner of the ground, the sound of small feet from behind informs me that Hitomi as finally decided to come and look for me. She stops as few meters from the tree.

"Auhm… Sto.. Ron-san?"

"Come closer Hitomi…san," my tongue almost slipped. "I'm not going to bite," I reassure her.

"You sure?" She asks playfully. "Because I have brought you something from the kitchen seeing that you have run away without eating anything."

The sudden growl of my stomach at her reminder breaks the tension and she settles besides me offering me a bento, the typical Japanese lunch box.

"Thanks senpai. You are a life saver."

"I thought we were on a first name basis," she replies.

"Right, sorry. Slip of the tongue. Itadakimasu, then." Hitomi lets me eat without a word, although I can tell she's dyeing to ask. She holds back until I finish my meal. When I finally put everything away she opens her mouth again.

"How are you feeling Ron-san?" She asks. I take a deep breath.

"Not sure. Confused. Angry. Stupid. Betrayed. I… I just don't understand what happened. What did I do wrong? Why couldn't she just tell me? Or at letting me know… I dunno… that she needed time to deal with whatever is bothering her. Was that too much to ask?"

"I do not think so."

"And now I feel like I've overreacted with her. It was clear that she was feeling guilty for slapping me right after she did it but…"

"I do not think you did wrong Ron-san. Whatever is that is bothering Tanaka-senpai it is not an excuse for her to disrespect you. And you were right in your decision to make it clear that she cannot just treat you like that. You must respect others but also demand equal respect in life. I cannot find anything wrong with what you did or said even if you were a little harsh with your words," she explains.

"I was?"

"Yes. However not as nearly as she had been with her behavior. Do not blame yourself."

"I'll try. I've grown up being blamed or blaming myself for whatever went wrong. It takes a while to outgrow it."

"I am sorry to hear that. You are a great person Ron-san. Do not let this episode slow you down."

"I won't," I promise her. "And for this purpose what do you think about resuming our training? I have lost enough time sulking."

"Well said, Ron-san. Come on, we have a lot of work to catch up with."

"Right behind you."

* * *

The excruciating training helped keeping the thoughts of Yori out of my mind and the day kept going like the previous until it finally came time to retire for the night. I am too exhausted to shield my mind from the bad thoughts and today's events replay in front of my eye like a bad movie. Sigh. I wonder if I will ever find a place where I'll be accepted for being me without resctritions. Am I such a bad guy that people must keep me at arms length? Sure there's Hitomi that doesn't seem to mind my newly revealed condition but I thought that also Kim and Yori would have accepted me for myself. Will Kimberly also react like Yori did? How long until Hitomi realizes that she doesn't like to hang around me? How long until Sensei changes his mind and come after me? How long…. No. No. I can't allow what happened today to make me second guess myself or my trust in others. I can be better than that. I am better than that. Things will work out. I will make it so. This blood red full moon is my witness. Whatever is going wrong I will make it right again. Even if I have to do it alone.

With my will set on this I continue to my room where my warm futon is waiting for me with the welcoming bliss of a good night sleep.

I feel a little better as I slip under the cover. It doesn't take more than five seconds for me to fall asleep. Funny though, I was probably already dreaming cause I had again that distinctive sensation of not being the only person in my room. Ah well. Goodnight.

…

_**- You are not alone, King –**_

* * *

Author Notes: due to some technical difficulties from my Beta this chapter is not yet edited and it will probably subject to some minor changes as soon as my friend Kenju manages to get his PC running again.

I'll hope you are all enjoying the story so far. The Yori sitch will enravel itself it the next chapter. Stay tuned for more.

Later.


	59. Interlude Black  Moon

**Interlude Black – Moon (Edited by Kenju - 09.09.11)**

* * *

"Had I not seen with my own eyes your assault on Stoppable-san today I would not have believed it," Sensei voice while quiet, was filled with righteous anger. It echoed through his study with the strength of a powerful gong. "I thought to have taught you better than this." His stern gaze bored holes into our heads.

I cannot blame anyone but myself for my predicament, my behavior over the last few days has been nothing short of dishonorable, both towards Stoppable-san as well as Sensei. I was unable to trust Sensei's judgment, I am the one at fault, I know this. I have let fear and past mistakes overrule my better judgment and I have dishonored both myself and the school in the process. What a fool.

"For five years I have done everything within my power to instill the concept of honor and respect within you and it was all for naught. There are no words able to express my disappointment in you and myself for this failure."

"Sensei I was…," Hikataka-san tries to speak but Sensei's glare cuts him off completely.

"Silence! There is no excuse for your actions today. You have assaulted our guest in a bout of jealousy, furthermore you have used your skills, _skills I taught you_, to bring unjustified and purposeless harm to another. You have forfeited your vows and your honor. In another time I would have demand Seppuku for your actions."

Sensei's words chilled the air. Seppuku, the act of ritual suicide to restore one's honor, has not been demanded in many years, the few times it happened it was for much greater crimes. I am not one of the recipients for Sensei's rage but the sense of impending doom in the eyes of my schoolmates is affecting me as well. No one dares to breathe, knowing that should anyone speak a word in protest it would seal their fate. The only thing we can do is hold our breath and pray for mercy.

"The only grounds protecting you from my demanding you restore your honor through blood is Stoppable-san himself. While I could easily justify your disappearances with a few excuses he is no fool and he would in time solve what truly happened. He would most likely blame himself for your demise and that would only hinder his growth in ways I could not accept. No, you will face a much worse fate, you will live in dishonor. From today onward you are suspended from all classes until further notice. You will spend you time meditating on your mistakes until you are able to conceive a suitable way to restore you honor. That is all. Dismissed."

"Hai Sensei." With a bow the students vacate the room, heads low in shame. I think I even saw a few tears on their faces.

"This leaves us with the matter of your punishment Tanaka-san." His choice of using my family name in place of the usually affectionate 'child' tells me plenty about his disappointment in me. "You do not share the same guilt of you fellow students simply because you chose not to _act_, but do not think for a moment I am not aware of who stirred this situation in the first place."

I can only hang my head in shame. There is no way I can deny my mistakes, even if I didn't plan this outcome.

"My apologies Sensei. It was not my intention for this to happen."

"I know, yet it does not change the fact that you eavesdropped on a private conversation with Stoppable-san, a fact I could have overlooked given your previous involvement with him, but I cannot condone your relying the content of that discussion with your peers. You were fully aware of their dislike for our guest. Just what did you believe they would do once they discovered his nature? Need I remind you what happened to the last student who walked the Path of Madness? Did you believe they would put aside their fears and accept an outsider with open arms knowing he walks a path similar to Demuku?"

Demuku. I can't help but flinch at the mention of his name.

"No, I thought it would stir hatred and fear that would eventually lead to a confrontation, however... I never once believed they would aim to kill him."

"What did you hope to accomplish Tanaka-san?"

"I…wanted to see for myself what kind of person he truly was. When I heard…I…just could not help but see Demuku, but at the same time…"

"At the same time he is entirely different, is he not? I cannot blame you for fearing another madman with enough power to threaten this school, but you could have brought your doubts to me before acting rashly."

"I…I know. I am truly sorry but…. I cannot help but fear him. I saw for myself that glint of madness in his eyes when you tested him, and it has haunted me ever since. I looked up to him Sensei, as I did with Demuku and yet again a person I care for hosts a demon within his soul. Am I cursed to lose everyone to the darkness?"

_Sigh_ "Stoppable-san is not lost in the least child," Sensei voice has lost its sternness and he reverts to call me with that affectionate appellative. "He has _acknowledged_ his own darkness, but he has not given himself up to it. He is nothing like your brother.

"Demuku is no longer part of my family, he forfeited that right the day he turned his back to Yamanouchi and left in search for power. The blood he shed by his hands will not smear the name of the Tanaka any further," for that brief moment I forgot my place and I spoke with anger in my voice. At the same time however I could feel my throat clenching and a sharp stinging in my eyes.

"My apologies, I meant no insult your family. However, understandable as your fears might be, you still have wronged our guest. I know of your…confrontation at lunch today."

"I…am sorry."

"I am not the one you should be apologizing to," he corrects me without missing a beat.

"I…I know," I stutter. "I will apologize to him, tonight after his training. I do not wish to disrupt his focus any further."

"Very well. As punishment for your behavior, you are to spend the next week in your room, leaving only for strict necessities."

"Hai Sensei."

There's no need for a dismissal, I know the conversation is over. As silently as possible I remove my presence from the room.

* * *

"It was not supposed to go like this!" Hirotaka-san is almost shouting. "He should have cried and begged for mercy or acted like the dishonorable outsider he was supposed to be. Instead he humiliated me in front of my teacher. I, Hikataka Hirotaka have lost my right as the next master of Thai Xing Pek Qwar to a gaijin!"

"That is quite enough Hikataka-san," I remand him with a cold tone. "Do not blame Stoppable-san for you own faults. You are the one who attacked him unprovoked when he was already exhausted from his training, _and_ after fighting five other students. Your lack of honor is the only reason for your fate."

Apparently being scolded does not sit well with his ego. He snarls at walks up to me.

"You of all people have no right to say that Tanaka-san. You are the one who asked me to test him; you took advantage of my affections for you and used me for…"

_*SLAP*_

I hit him hard across the face. While I am responsible for starting this incident I will not be accused of being some sort of harlot.

"Watch your words Hikataka-san. I have always made it clear that your feelings were not returned and when I asked the next Master of Thai Xin Pek Qwar to test the worthiness of another user of the same art I did not issue any reward. It was your own delusions that brought you to act like a rabid dog."

"You little…" he grabs my arm forcefully, but his anger is kept in check by the blade of my kodachi against his neck.

"You might surpass me in taijutsu Hikataka-san but you are no match to me when it comes to the blade. Touch me again and I will remove your head from your shoulders." Slowly he releases me and steps back. "I believe you have overstayed your welcome, remove yourself from my quarters and do not return. You have your punishment do deal with as I have mine. "

"Very well," he growls. "But this is not over."

"Empty threats are unbecoming of a shinobi. Do not sully your honor any further, or at least do it where I cannot witness it."

He doesn't spare me another glance and exits the room slamming the sliding door behind him, shaking the building with his steps. Honestly I cannot understand why Sensei chose such a person as his disciple in the first place. He lacks the humility required to master any form of martial art. It is a wonder he manages not trip over his ego. Even now he blames Stoppable-san for his own mistakes. How can a man so blind ever hope to become the master of Thai Xin Pek Qwar is beyond me.

Then again, I have my own share of faults in this whole matter.

I have let many people down in these last five days. While Sensei might condone my behavior as being understandable…I cannot. I overstepped my position by eavesdropping on Sensei's meeting, I have wronged Stoppable-san by distancing myself from him without justification, and more than anything else I have dishonored myself by giving in to my fears.

Foolish girl, have I learned nothing? Three years have passed and still I allow Demuku's shadow to influence my thoughts. I am a fool, I believed that I had moved on, made peace with the past and yet I am not strong enough yet. For all my hatred of him, my heart still bleeds for his betrayal.

This is inexcusable. I have allowed myself to slip and I hurt someone else as consequence. Shameful. Apologies will not suffice, Stoppable-san deserves to know what had brought this madness. I can only hope he will understand my plight and forgive me. There is nothing else I can do at the present time.

For the time being I shall meditate until I can meet with him.

* * *

Night has come with torturing slowness. Time slows when the heart is weighted by guilt. Finally the time has come for me to deal with my actions, and hopefully mend my friendship with Stoppable-san.

The night breeze is a familiar chilling sensation on my skin as I walk wearing a simple white kimono on my way to Stoppable-san room. He just turned off the light in his room so he should not be asleep yet. With silent steps I walk down the empty corridors as the predator I was trained to be since childhood, however everything changes when I step out into the garden, under the light of the moon.

The chilling but pleasant sensation changes, the air is thick, heavy, almost suffocating. My shoulders slump as if a considerable weight had been placed upon them.

I turn, searching for the source of this unpleasant feeling. My awareness is at its peak but I cannot sense any presence near me. However I cannot deny the malice in the air tonight. Is my mind playing tricks on me? Am I hallucinating? What is this uneasiness?

…

Five minutes spent staring into the shadows searching for a threat and I have no clue whatsoever on this sensation that is screaming that I should run for my life. There must be something wrong with me. Perhaps it is the light cast by the red moon; nights like this are haunted by malicious spirits…never mind, now I am thinking nonsense.

Ignoring the sensation I resume my walk to Stoppable-sans room but despite my best efforts I cannot deny that the dreary feeling becomes stronger with each step I take in that direction. I feel…unwelcome. Every cell in my body is telling me to run the opposite way.

This is not normal by any stretch of the imagination. Stoppable-san might be in danger.

Despite my screaming instincts and the increasing weight of every step I take I reach the door of his room just a few inches to peek inside.

Stoppable-san is sleeping quietly in his futon, the perfect picture of calmness. He is breathing slowly and regularly. He is undisturbed, however he is not alone. A woman I have never seen before is sitting on her knees beside him, stroking his hair in an affectionate manner not unlike a mother would do. I cannot see her features as she is turned away from me and her waist length hair is covering much of her profile. I can see that she is wearing a red kimono made of a material similar to silk, but not quite. Even from here I can tell that it is a very precious thread.

Just as I am about to step inside the room and face this mysterious intruder who has managed to slip inside the grounds unnoticed, she turns her face towards me with atrocious calmness and my world shatters.

She is beautiful…no…no the word does not do her justice. Her visage is regal, noble beyond what a human can possibly understand, but at the same time it is also terrible, horrible, a nightmare. She has no eyes. Those…those…_things_ cannot be called eyes. Black pools of swirling darkness lightened only by a red fire burning within their cores in place of her pupils.

Malice, evil, death. Human words have no way to measure what I see in those twin pits or fire. She is looking at me, no, she is looking _inside_ me. My very soul is being examined by this creature, this entity and I feel as though I have been found lacking something.

Her previously calm visage turns into a snarl that foretells my demise. She rises to her feet with a smooth, silky movement, - too perfect to be real - and then in the blink of an eye, she is gone.

_**Run**_

She is not gone. _**Run**_

She is here. _**Run**_

Behind me. _**Run!**_

I cannot move. My body is frozen on the spot, my muscles refusing enact my escape. I had my chance to leave and not witness this but I forfeited it. Her hand is on my right shoulder. My eyes see it and show me perfection but my touch feels it and death itself is gripping me.

I dare not look back least I stare into those _eyes_.

With a slow, almost careful like grace I feel her hand slide its way over my shoulder and across my collarbone then down my torso. Even when cloth prevents her from directly touching me I can feel her hand, her fingers burning my skin like fiery red branding irons. Without as much as a hint of hesitation or pause her hand slips between the folds of my kimono, her hand continuing with the same slow purpose since it first touched my shoulder, never pausing. The tips of her ivory nails grazing my skin as her palm comes to a stop. Though her touch felt hotter than fire at first I nearly screamed in shock the moment it came into contact with my skin, cold, so cold! The feeling of being pierced by the coldest ice reached my heart as her hand reached it intended destination, slowly kneading my breast. The shock of her icy touch was almost enough to completely prevent me from noticing her other arm wrapping around my belly, only the sudden course of fire spreading across me as she spread open her fingers across me caught my attention.

The shock from the two separate sensations I cannot hope to begin to describe. I can almost feel the blood in my heart slowing, freezing in place, at the same time it feels as though the muscles around my stomach are on fire, growing ever stiffer as though they are being cooked over an open fire. As I feel her fingers drawing together and her hand lower I nearly sigh in relief as the burning sensation is at least moving and no longer intensifying over the same place. The relief is fleeting however as I feel that very same hand slides down to my thighs, the sudden shift from fiery hot to blistering cold strikes me yet again as it comes into contact with my exposed skin.

_**- You should not have come here tonight child. –**_

Her melodic voice is an insult to my very existence. The way she refers to me is violence given shape, rape given form. It sullies me with its perfection by exposing all my faults.

_**- I should rip out your heart and feed it to you for what you have done to him. – **_

That would be a blessing. As a kunoichi I have embraced my mortality but this…this is damnation.

_**- Only his caring protects you from my true grasp. Had he felt an ounce of disdain for you at any moment in time I would have already taken it from your chest and fed it to the dogs. You cannot hope to grasp your fortune. –**_

I do not possess the voice to express my gratitude, not I can truly feel it right now. Not while one of her silky hands continues to fondle my breast while the other caresses my thigh like that. Like I always dreamt my lover one day would.

_**- Be gone now and do not return. We will not meet again unless you hurt my beloved King once more. Should that day come to pass however you will regret that I did not take your life now, for I will bring upon you that very same pain by a factor of thousand. –**_

I don't know where I found the strength and voice to speak. It is not mere curiosity but a need to know to survive, to remain sane. Whatever this entity is I need to know the identity of this being is that will haunt my dreams for all eternity.

"W-w-who are you?" It comes barely as a whisper but she has heard. She would hear me even if I spoke from the other side of the world or even if I did not speak at all, for she is not behind me but within me.

_**- Tsukuyomi. -**_

And just like she has come she is gone, the door is closed once more but I know she has returned to his side, watching over his sleep and dreams.

I turn in the direction I came from without looking anywhere but my feet, because the shadows are alive tonight and if I dared to gaze within them I know I would see her looking back at me.

Within a time that could have passed as an eternity I reach my room and when I close the door behind me the feeling finally vanishes along with the strength in my legs.

I curl on the floor, sobbing like a child, crawling under the cover of my futon as I feel my entire being become enveloped with fear unlike anything I could explain. My lungs, they ache, burn, and feel like stone as I take short pained gasps of breath. Every intake of air causes pain. Kami, my heart feels as though it is going to burst, this pain, what is it? Fear? Fear I know, fear I understand, but this is something else completely, something foreign and alien to me. Pure, unadulterated terror. Every cell in my body is ruled by this sensation.

Pulling the covers over my head I turn away from my window, shaking like a leaf. I can only pray not to fall asleep before the sun rises. The moon has given me enough nightmares to last eternity already.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Here's another interlude from Yori Pov. What the hell is going on with Ron? Who's Tsukuyomi and what does she want from him? Very soon things will start to become clearer. Not really. However the arc will pick up its pace and the action will begin. Get ready for some ass kicking.

As usual many thanks to Kenju for his wonderful editing.

Stay tuned for more and make sure to let me know what you think.

Bye.


	60. Mystic

**Chapter 37 – Mystic**

* * *

_A lone man is standing with his ankle in a never-ending lake of black mud. The surface of the liquid is bubbling slowly, filling the air with a thin layer of gray mist. The sky above him, much like the lake below , is dark and uniform, making it difficult to distinguish it from the impure substance under the man's feet. The horizon is a thin line that's just a little less dark than the rest of the scenario._

_Susanoo is looking ahead, his eyes set on something beyond my ability to see. He's unaware of my presence, much like any other dream I had of him. I wonder what this imposing man is searching for. Long minutes are spent examining the horizon until a smirk makes its way on his face and he begins walking. I follow him to wherever he's headed. Not like I have much choice in the matter, even without walking the dream follows him, dragging me along for the ride._

_The mysterious force known as time is already tricky in real life as it is, but within the realm of dreams it's truly impossible to measure. It could have taken years or minutes to reach our destination I can't really tell, but regardless of it all we are now standing in front of a palace, a pagoda, the only thing that is not completely black I have seen so far. However the bloodlike liquid dripping from the roofs down the black walls doesn't really make the place better than the landscape._

_The structure seems to challenge the sky, climbing floor after floor until it pierces the clouds above, wrinkling the otherwise plain surface. A lesser man would be terrified by the aura exuding from the palace, but Susanoo in not any man._

_Sliding the door open he walks inside, uncaring of any danger that might be waiting for him. I follow him and I'm embraced by a ocean of darkness. The difference in the illumination from the outside makes me completely blind._

_I hear the door slide close and I'm left there floating into nothingness until my eyes adjusts to what little light they can find. I am not pleased from what I see. We are not in a palace at all, if anything it appears that we are completely underground. The door we came in from is no longer there._

_However unpleasant surprises doesn't seem to end there. The ground, still covered from the same mud from the world outside, is bubbling menacingly like it wants to spit something out._

_My theory is proven correct when the mud starts forming shapes. For everywhere around us arms start forming, soon followed by the rest of something that can only be described as a decaying corpse. Hundreds of decaying corpses, rising from the floor in a fashion that could inspire Romero's next movie and fuel my nightmares for years to come if not for the fact that I'm already dreaming. Honestly if I wasn't oddly aware of the fact that this is not actually real I would be shitting my pants. Susanoo however seems rather pleased by the development._

"_Finally," he exclaims with a chuckle, "I was getting bored." Unsheathing his swords he awaits for the black arm to make the first move. _

_Like one, the now completed army of dead, assaults the warrior growling and howling like the monsters they are. A confident amusement is the only feeling on Susanoo's face as he faces the incoming orde._

_A single slash from one of his blades dispatches the first fifty or sixty corpses, sending them splattering against the walls of the cavern where they proceed to drip on the ground and form anew. Susanoo maniacal grin is a testament to his enjoyment._

_They all rushes him like a tidal wave, but Susanoo is standing strong as a mountain. The creatures are sent back flying with a speed far superior than they can charge. Susanoo blades are an undistinguishable blur that delivers mayhem and destruction all around him. In all honesty, before him the dark army is nothing but a minor nuisance._

"_Come on, come on, come on," he incites them. "You can't hope to slow me down with sheer number alone."_

_Following his suggestion the never-ending army stops the useless assault. The corpses start to melt back to the original mud, only to gather together, forming a single humongous body that is now looming over the lone warrior._

"_Pfft. Boring. Is this the best Yomi as to offer?"_

_One single vertical swipe of the right blade and the gigantic corpse explodes in a shower of mud. The corpses don't bother to reform. Susanoo has showed plenty the uselessness of the batlle._

_With a low rumble a hole opens in of the walls, showing a staircase to the next floor. Sheathing his blades Susanoo walks to the next floor without seeing the red clad woman that visited my dreams for the past few day looking at his back with a predatory smile. _

_She turns to look at me and I know she can see me._

_** - You should go back now, King. -**_

* * *

For the first time since I woke up from the coma I greet the new day with a massive headache. Not just any headache, no, a fucking head-splitting pain. Holy shit what the fuck happened? Did they use my head to sound the morning gong or something?

It takes me a good five minutes to gather enough strength to pull myself up and get dressed. The pounding sensation makes the most simple things looking like a challenge of epic proportions. I wonder if I can find a pill or if they deal with this kind of shit with herbs and the like.

Whatever will be fine. I definitely need something to turn off this hammer inside my skull. I leave my room and walk down the corridors passing by a few students that jumps away as soon as they lay sight upon me. Uh. Do I look that bad? I didn't even bother looking into a mirror. Does it have to do with my new rep of a madman?

Whatever. I'll just go meet Hitomi for breakfast and ask her something for this hammer that's currently pounding inside my skull.

Five minutes later I walk, more like stumble into the dining room and walk up to Hitomi and friend's table.

"Ohayo gozaimasu girls," I greet them with a voice that seems to be coming from a cave.

"Ohayo, Ron-sa…" Hitomi trails off as her eyes widen in…. fear? "Ron-san! What's wrong with your eye… eyes?"

"Uh? What?" I touch my face and it feels a little hot. Am I running a fever?

Hitomi pulls a small mirror from her pocket, the kind used to make light signal. She hands it to me and I look at my reflection. My iris is shining with a light blue color while, while the usually white sclera is deep black. Even my missing eye is shining from behind the patch.

"Well fuck. I'm quite sure that's not normal," I comment dryly. The pounding in my head doesn't leaves me room for even worrying. "Perhaps I should see a doctor, eh Hitomi-san?"

She doesn't even bother answering and she drags me away and all the way to Sensei's rooms. She impolitely barges inside.

"SENSEI!" she screams. The old man is startled by the sudden entrance and he's about to deprecate Hitomi's lack of manners when his eyes meets mine.

His reaction is pretty much the same of everybody else. However he seems to have at least an understanding of what's happening to me.

"Makimura-san, summon Nooni-san immediately and tell her to bring all her seals immediately," she nods and leaves the room in a hurry. "Stoppable-san, lay down and don't move."

"Uuh? Sensei what….

"NOW!" The tone of his voice paired with the loudness of his command leaves me with very little choice and I do as I am told. Not that it's such a bad thing to begin with. Considering how I'm feeling not getting up at all this morning was an acceptable course of action.

As I lay there Sensei checks my pulse and my temperature, crossing my gaze just a couple of times as he does so. No longer than five minutes later Hitomi barges back in followed by Nooni-san, the lunch lady, holding a wooden box in her hands. She trades a few words with Sensei too fast for me to understand in my present conditions, however I did not miss the worried tone in their voices.

Nooni-san sits beside me and places slips of paper with odd writings on my skin. Little by little my headache recedes and I'm able to think more clearly, like a weight has been removed from my head.

"Whoa. This feels great. What's this? The local remedy to headaches?"

"_No, Stoppable-san. These are suppressing seal designed to siphon one's mystical power,"_ Nooni explains in her language. Wow I actually managed to understand all that? Way to go. But I still don't trust my pronunciation enough to engage in a complex conversation yet.

"Which means that my present condition is somewhat caused my own… mystical power? Do I have a magic variant of a flu or something?"

"Nothing quite that simple Stoppable-san. Your body had been producing and storing more power that it expelled causing an increase in pressure from within. Had we not stopped it as quickly as we did you would have... exploded. Literally." Sensei's explanation drained the blood from my face. "This solution is just temporary. We must proceed to obtain a definite cure for your condition before we run out of seals."

"Uh. Can't you do more of those seals while we search for a cure? Or can't you just takes this troublesome powers away?" I ask. Using the Lotus Blade is cool and all, but it's not quite worth going off as a magical firework.

"The mystical energy created from your body is not unlike your ability to breath. Stopping the first would have the same effect of stopping the other."

"But.. but… This power came from the Idols. It's not mine to begin with…" I retort.

"Nonsense, Stoppable-san," Sensei says. "The statues gave you just a tiny amount of energy as a byproduct of the transmission of the knowledge of Thai Xing Pek Qwar. You body later adapted to produce the power by itself. It is your own power."

"But how?"

"… I am not a specialist of mystical subjects, Stoppable-san and what little I know comes from my own experience. I gained access to my own power trough the practice of Monkey Kung-Fu whereas you have done the opposite. I don't know if my case applies to yours as well. However I do know of someone that can help you, however…."

"However?" I prompt him.

"However that… person isn't someone that will help out of kindness or for money. I will have to ask her to pay me back for a favor she owes me. There is no other way."

"I'm sorry for being such a burden to you Sensei," I apologize as I pull myself to a sitting position.

"Not at all. You are part of this school like everybody else and it's part of my duties to ensure the continued health of my protégées. I will arrange for your trip to her location. We have enough seals to last for two days and your travel shouldn't take more than fifteen hours."

"But… tomorrow is the day for my test. I'm not going to be back in time."

"Do not trouble yourself with such trivialities. You have already passed half of it when my students assaulted you yesterday and if you manage to find your way to that place you will have passed the last part. I will assign a senior student to accompany you. Hitomi-san, please find Takamine-san and send him here."

"Hai Sensei," she responds with a bow. She sends me a relaxed look, clearly relieved that I'm no longer in immediate danger.

"_Now, Stoppable-san, I'm going to remove your eye-patch if you allow me,"_ Nooni speaks slow enough for me to understand.

"_Of course Nooni-san." _She gently remove the cloth covering my empty eye socket with the smooth movements of who has treated many injured.

"_Open you eye, please."_ Reluctantly I agree and both her and Sensei gasp at the sight. Being both accustomed to seeing wounds their reaction tells me that whatever they have seen is not how it's supposed to be. I pick the small mirror Hitomi left me and I take another look at my face.

… You know, _fuck_ doesn't just cut it anymore.

Actually I'm not sure any word is cut to describe what I'm seeing. The inside of my eye socket is covered by a reddish metallic structure. Bluish line of energy are intersecting the red surface like an electrical circuit powering the structure, making it look alive. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what the hell's going on.

"Legacy…" I whisper. Alice had told me that it was repairing me but this is going overboard. It's rebuilding my fucking eye? I grip the stump of my arm with my hand, wondering if my guest is limiting himself to my eye of he's doing more. And exactly how much more? Is he just patching me together or it taking me over?

Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck. Did Alice know? I have been here for just a week. It's not possible that Legacy had done this much in that little time when in the past month nothing happened. The something click in my mind and I realize something.

"Sensei," I whisper. "Could it be that Legacy is using my Mystical power to spread?"

Sensei face pales at the implication.

"I am not sure if that is even possible Stoppable-san, however, being born from your own blood it could be capable of drawing on your power to fuel itself."

"Something is speeding up the process though. In the past month he barely did something," I explain.

"You have been practicing Thai Xin Pek Qwar constantly in the past week. Your power is strictly connected to it. It might have boosted …. Whatever is that Legacy is doing. It might very well be behind your surge, but…"

"But?"

"But I think it is the opposite. If that contraption is sucking your power it might have been slowing the process as well."

"So he's… protecting me?" I ask with more than a little hope.

"I do not know," he answer with a sigh. "I have no way to prove either theories. Only that woman can help you and give you an answer. We must not delay your departure any longer Stoppable-san. You must reach Kyoto as soon as possible."

"That's right," I say getting back on my feet. "I think I'm good now. My head doesn't hurt as much as before. I should be able to move as soon as your student is ready. I have some things packed already just in case." Sensei blinks at that.

"That is a surprising foresight on your part, Stoppable-san. Why is that you thought it necessary?" I shrug.

"Meh. Just in case you decided to unleash your ninjas on me I had to be ready to flee. No time to pack when you have an army of trained assassins breathing on your neck. "

Sensei chuckles. "I see that you are developing the proper set of mind. Nothing beats being a little paranoid to sleep well at night."

"I'm not sure about that Sensei. It certainly helps waking up alive at morning though. "

"That is does Stoppable-san. That is does."

* * *

Takamine-san, Takashi as he insisted I call him, is a easy going guy with oddly chestnut brown hair and eyes so narrow that he reminds me of a fox. Even is mouth is fox-like, and when he grins it looks like he wants to eat you, but as I said he's a nice guy.

Following Sensei's instruction he accompanies me in my trip to Kyoto, not really as a help or anything, just to keep an eye on me in case my affliction starts acting up. However it shouldn't if Nooni's seals work properly. He should also oversee my progresses in Japanese language and culture enough to look for this supposed healer Sensei seems to be so wary about. I wonder just who can possibly worry the old man that much. I don't think that there are many persons around the world that can discomfort the man on a personal level.

Ah well, worrying about this beforehand is completely useless. I might as well go ahead and deal with it like usual, which means see what happens and hope to be fast enough to react to any possible situation I might stumble upon.

One hour to return to the small town at the base of the mountain and two hours to wait for the bus to come. From there another two hours of travel to the closet town with a train station. Thankfully Takashi-san is a good travel companion and he has many stories to tell about his life at Yamanouchi. We speak mostly in Japanese (might as well warm up for the actual test) but when words fails me his fluent English comes to help.

Surprisingly at some point during the train ride I fell asleep and almost missed my station. Takashi didn't bother waking me up. It's my burden to carry on with this quest after all. Had I missed my stop every hour lost is a little less I have to live.

Finally we've reached Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan before it got moved to Tokyo, which was called Edo back in the time. Walking through this city is like taking a stroll back in time. There are of course modern buildings and technologies but the architecture in many places is still as it was two hundred years ago.

Today Wade's special sunglasses had their first real test run. When it comes to technology he never fails to deliver, that mush is a given. How does he manages to pack all this stuff in the frame of a pair of glasses is beyond me. I can even read my email with this. It's no Kimmunicator but it still rocks.

The integrated GPS helped lots to navigate the streets of the city but despite the high tech the address Sensei gave me doesn't shows up. Where does this Healer lives anyway?

With no little difficulty, asking for indication here and there I narrowed the zone where this person is supposed to live. It's somewhere inside the most ancient part of the city, not strange for somebody meddling with ancient and obscure magic. By the time I'll reach that place the day will already be gone.

* * *

Like predicted, between tracking the place and actually getting there, the sun has set already and the night is upon us. Following the indication I've reached the outskirt of the city.

For some reason the GPS stopped working as soon as I got in the general area, and the sunglasses began malfunctioning in a very suspicious manner to the point that I had to take them off. Electrical illumination has left place to old lanterns and the streets are no longer paved. Step by step the buildings around me look more ancient than before and by the time I've reached my destination I'm quite sure I've gone back in time a couple of centuries.

The few people around are dressed like actors from a historical drama and they are looking at me warily, like the outsider I am. This looks like the premise of a bad horror movie and I'm not helped by this feeling from within that's telling me to leave, that I have no business here. It's not fear, since I know how that feels and it's under control like usual. No it's more like a… compulsion. A suggestion from the back of my mind but it's not _mine_.

"_Stoppable-san,"_ Takashi speaks from behind me, undoing his art. _"This is as far as I can go. Ask for directions inside that inn and they should point you to the healer's place. I cannot… I cannot follow any longer. There is something… telling me that I should leave and it too damn convincing."_

So it's not just my feeling uh? However it seems to affect me much less than it does to me. Takashi is sweating bullets and by the look of his face it's taking all his resolve not to turn around and walk away.

"_That's okay Takashi-san. Thank for helping me this far, I'll be fine by myself now."_

"_It was my honor Stoppable-san. I wish you the best of luck in your quest. I shall return to Yamanouchi now,"_ he bow and fades away again. I can feel his presence getting away by the minute and after a while he's beyond the limit of my awareness. I'm alone now.

It's a little unsettling. Since I woke up from the coma I always had somebody supporting me in time of need, now however I'm on my own. It's Prom's night all over again and like back then the last souvenir from school is the stinging sensation of a slap from someone I held very close.

\This doesn't bode well.\

_/No it doesn't, but we can just step forward, can't we?/ _

\Right. Let's face the challenge ahead of us and see where we'll end up from here.\

_/That's the spirit. Come on, let's go./_

Joining our minds together we shrug off the effects of this mysterious compulsion, pushing the not-whisper away from my ears. With a few resolute steps I'm in front of the inn's doors, opening them like I owned the place.

Like in an old western movie everyone stops whatever they were doing to look at the newcomer and the expression on their faces is not welcoming.

"_What are you looking for here outsider? Tourists are not welcome here," _The barkeeper says from behind the counter. I don't let his words intimidate me and I resolutely push forward ignoring the glares from the patrons.

"_I'm searching for a person. A healer. I don't know her name but I have been told that everyone around here knows of the healer with bronze hair. Can you point me to her place?"_

My words must have stirred something because I perceive an increase in tension in everyone around me. Fear? Are they scared.. of me? But why? And…

Wait what's this? My awareness is picking up something… a wave of something from my right. The man a few chairs behind me there is looking at me sideway with clear threat in his eye. However what's picking my attention is his left forearm. An intricate pattern of shining lines is climbing from his wrist to his arm disappearing under the sleeve. Similar waves brush against my awareness from all around me. This people are… mystical users?

"_Like is said outsider_,"The bartender says, "_this place isn't for the like of you. Leave while you still can."_

Surprisingly his words feels… reassuring. Not knowing what to expect is scarier that being clearly threatened. If I have to bash some skulls together to find my way, ehi, I'm all in favor to that. However I try to keep a calm façade ignoring the increasing animosity from the people around me. They are waiting for something to break the tension and start the fight but they won't get it from me.

"_And like I said I'm looking for somebody. So if you just point me where to find this person I'll let you folks go back to whatever is that you were doing. We can do it the nice way or the ugly way."_

Somebody snorts behind me, dismissing my threat far too easily. I don't know the scope of this people power but the fact that they fear me gives me an edge I won't waste if the push come to shove.

A sudden spike in power from behind me is the telltale of an incoming attack. I barely have time to drop on my knees that _something_ flies over my head. The bartender falls on the floor unconscious on the floor.

**Let's dance.**

Spinning on my left feet I jump on my assailant, an old man with a plain kimono. My fist connects with his diaphragm, making him double over clutching his stomach. Another spike on my left warns me of another attack coming my way. For good measure I push the man I just hit in the path of the attack before ducking away.

"_GWAH!" _ the man is hit in the back by a purple orb of energy and sent flying over the tables, crashing on the floor unceremoniously. The one that sent that blow doesn't have time to feel guilty as my fist meets his face a split second later removing a few yellowish teeth from his mouth. Well he was in need to see a dentist anyway.

Two simultaneous power surges from both my side send me rolling on the ground to avoid any possible attack, but nothing comes.

"_That's quite enough,"_ a feminine voice says softly but sternly from the shadows in a corner of the room.

"_Shut up wench," _ one of the men snarls, _"it's like you are any more welcome than him. Mundanes are not supposed to come here. Secrecy must be kept at all costs."_

Far from being insulted the woman whose face is covered by a not Japanese hood sighs. _"The fact that he's here means that he's in fact either not a Mundane or his one of those whom are aware of us. The compulsion would have driven him away otherwise."_

The patrons look at each other understanding that they have some screwed up something… whatever it is.

"_Ah," _the barman says rising from the floor. "_I didn't think of that."_

"_Of course you didn't, you dim-witted fools," _the woman states without fear of reprisal. _"Such is the curse of those whom entrust everything to their power instead of thinking with their own brain."_

"_Why the outsider didn't say so in the first place?"_ another one asked her.

"_Perhaps he doesn't know his own nature or he's not informed of our ways. Perhaps, since he's looking for a healer he has a problem that steams from our side and he's not actually aware of our world. Is that right stranger?" She asks me._

"_I'm not sure I should share my problems with the people who just tried to harm me,"_ I answer, "_ however yes, you are right. I don't know who you lot are or what's your problem with me but I have a condition related to my own mystical power."_ At my explanation the presents start murmuring to each other too fast for me to follow.

"_Why didn't you just say so?" _yet another patron asks.

"_Do you go around telling every stranger of your problems?" _ I growl at him. _"And the fact that I was looking for a healer should have been enough of a hint. What's wrong with you guys?"_

"_Ah! What's wrong with us?" _ The guy snarls back. "_You are the outsider here. You are not welcome even if you have mystical powers. You'd better leave while you still can and take this unpleasant woman away with you."_

The woman looks at me from under her hood, but I can see only her amazing green eyes. Ignoring the enraged man I speak to her.

"_I don't suppose you know where the person I'm looking for his, do you? I would be very grateful if you pointed me to her place."_

"_Of course. Follow me, I'll show you the way,"_ She turns around and walks further inside the building. Odd. Maybe there's a back entrance or something?

"_Damn it!" _the man shouts. _"Don't you dare ignore me! I'll show you just who…" _ I cut his rant and his building attack short with a punch to his stomach. The man falls to the ground gasping for air. The others tense again and prepare to restart our… brawl.

"_I said enough!"_ The woman reiterates. _"No one of you idiots can even hope to touch this man. If you avoid provoking him you'll spare yourself the humiliation of being beaten by a novice." _

"_If he's just a novice then…"_ somebody tries to protest.

"_Does it looks like he needs to use any form of mystical art to dispose of you? Strength has nothing to do with mystical power," _ the still nameless woman explain with a condescending tone. The presents seem to acknowledge the truth in her words and finally let go, abandoning their aggressive postures but without letting me out of their sight.

The woman turn around again and I follow her without looking back to my potential assailants. A clear sign of what level of threat they are to me.

She leads me to an empty room where the back wall is made of bricks instead of wood like the rest of the building.

"_What are we doing here?" _ I ask.

"_You'll see," _she answer shortly while she counts the bricks. I try to define her physique but the black hooded cloak she's wearing doesn't give me any hint on her. _"Ah here it is."_

She taps a specific brick with her glowed hand and takes a step back.

The bricks begin to rattle and shake before moving like piece of a domino to form an archway that open to the most amazing sight I've ever seen. Just where the hell did I end up?

"_Welcome to_** '**_Hinoiri no Roji', Mr. Stoppable. I have been waiting for you."_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry for the long delay everyone. My beta as been a tad busy with his job and couldn't edit the chapter till now. Actually he didn't edit it at all for now, but I couldn't let you wait any longer. So here's the newest chapter. Things are going to become buys for Ron from now on, much more than before.

I have the next chapter already written and I'll put it up in a couple of days. After that I probably won't update this for a while, not because I'm not working on it but because I'm trying to get a little farther with the plot since it's about to become twisted and with lots of major and minor OCs.

So stay tuned for more and enjoy this chapter.

Later folks!


	61. Circuit

**Chapter 38 – Circuit**

* * *

"_Hinoiri no Roji?"_ I ask the woman who obviously knows who I am. I should be worried about this but I'm a little too taken by what I'm seeing to spare the brain cells to do that?

"It roughly translate as 'Sunset Alley' Mr. Stoppable, " she explains in English as she step forward into the street.

I should be on my guard considering that this woman know more than I've told her. There's a high chance she's an enemy but I can't stop looking around like a child at a Luna Park. It's like I've stepped into a fantasy world. Much like before people are dressed like two centuries ago and the street itself seems taken from a history book's picture from various places in the world but all clearly very old.

However it doesn't stop there. The fable-like nature of this place is showing from the buildings, people and various other stuff around me. A small fox with two tails runs past me with a holding a scroll in her mouth while ravens carrying envelopes swoop around entering and leaving house like winged messengers , and I'm quite sure I just saw an umbrella staring at me with a big lone eye.

There are no lanterns anymore. The streets are illuminated by lights similar to floating will-o'-wisps .

"Am I dreaming? What place is this?"

"_Hinoiri no Roji, _is one of the many settlements throughout the world where those who are gifted with mystical powers gathers. It's a hidden society that had developed in parallel with yours almost without contact in the past centuries."

"H-how could this escape anyone notice? I mean this place is big as a town."

"There are ways… Bounded fields, Wards… They are called in many ways. Technology and people without the gift cannot see through them, effectively hiding such places from sight and from reach. For all mean and purposes we might as well have stepped in a different world altogether," she steps forward in that place on wonders "Come now, Mr. Stoppable. I will explain whatever you want to know at my place."

"Your place? Why would we be going at your… ? You are the healer I've been looking for! Why haven't you said that before? Why didn't anybody back there said so?" I ask dumbfounded.

"I wanted to see what kind of person you are and how you would react under duress, whereas the others simply dislike you," she explains as I follow her through the crowd that parts to let us pass. I don't know if they fear her, me or the both of us.

"Didn't look like you are much more appreciated. Why is that?"

"I am different from them as you are. Living in a secluded society has made them diffident toward strangers and outsiders. "

"Different how?"

"You aren't part of this world. You aren't born with the ability you now possess. This whole culture is built around mystical ability around... magic so to speak. They are a very small minority compared to non-gifted individual, and their ancestor have been hunted for centuries because of their abilities, until places like this were created."

"I'm sorry, I can't quite wrap my head around the concept. Are you telling me you are… what? An actual witch?"

"I'm no witch, Mr. Stoppable although somebody calls me that from time to time outside of here, where the word is considered an insult. No, I am what's usually called a Magus.

"Magus? What's that?"

"Later, Mr. Stoppable. Once we reach my place we can dwell further on the subject. For now keep your mouth closed and follow me."

I do as I'm told and keep the questions for later. As we move through the street the scenery changes again at the wood and paper houses are replaced mostly by European style buildings from early 1900.

"Before you ask Mr. Stoppable this part of the town is largely inhabited by those that came to Japan during the Meiji era, therefore the architecture is influenced by their culture," she explains. "You don't see any recent building because with evolution of technology keeping our society secret became much more difficult and to counteract they became even more insulated. Only recently they started opening to the outside again, mostly due to the influence of other mystical government doing the same and pressuring Japan to do the same."

"… Why the sudden change in foreign policy?"

"It isn't sudden, but the reason is mostly because in your world more and more individuals with different, non-mystical powers are showing up and they are being accepted without too much fuss. They are preparing to merge back with the mundanes in a slow process that will actually take decades if not centuries."

"I suppose it's a difficult process. I mean I know something firsthand about racism. People aren't going to change their opinions on a whim, especially if they have lived in fear most of their life."

"That's true. However the processes is helped by those with mystical abilities born outside of this world and later brought inside our culture."

In the meanwhile we have reached what I think it's her house. A simple looking house with white walls reinforced by wood planks. She doesn't use keys to open the door but simply waves her hand in front of the handle and it springs open.

"Come inside Mr. Stoppable. No need to remove your shoes, I don't abide to the local customs."

I follow her up a flight of stairs where she opens another door like before, motioning me to follow her inside.

The place isn't nothing like what I could have imagined from the outside. It's actually a pretty normal house if a little retro. The entrance opens on a single large that looks like a medical study from early '900. The stack of shelves filled by heavy tomes adds to the general image. It lacks any electrical appliance otherwise it could pass for a common a normal house. With another wave of her hand all the lamps ignites forcing the shadows back into the corners.

I'm about to speak again when she starts removing her cloak. The words die in my mouth. She's nothing like I expected her to be. Granted when Sensei told me about this fabled healer I pictured some kind of old Japanese hag without teeth but…

She has waist long bronze curly hair that fall on her shoulders in waves. She has a small but well defined frame that would grant her suitors for years to come, but her most defining feature are her eyes. Green shining gems embedded in a delicate face with features clearly from the middle-east. No more than forty years old by my estimation but I'm sure that she could pass for thirty if she tried hard enough. She's wearing a very modern knee long skirt and a white camisole that complements her natural beauty with a down-to-earth elegance.

Shego couldn't pull off being beautiful like she does. Heck, even Anne couldn't do it. The former green-skinned villainess is HOT in a carnal sort of way, while MrsDrP has that motherly air of all encompassing love that somehow dominate her femininity. This woman however is nothing like that.

Her elegance exudes from her posture and set the atmosphere around her firmly but without oppression or tension. She's like a noblewoman of old, a queen of sort. It's very attractive but it only adds to to impression of something being misplaced about her. I suppose I could ask her about it, but it's none of my business. However keeping my guard up might be a good idea until I know I can trust her.

"Thank you," she says while she folds her cloak and put it way.

"What for?"

"For not asking me what's makes me appear out of place. You are the first in a long time."

"H-how do you know what I was thinking? Are you a telepath?" This is fucking creepy.

"Not quite, although reading thoughts is within my abilities I do not normally exercise it. Besides you would feel it if I did. No I don't need to read your mind, just your facial expression."

"I see… You will excuse me if I find this tidbit of knowledge a little unsettling. As a male teenager my head is filled with things I would rather not disclose with someone of the opposite gender." She laugh good-naturedly at my attempt to dispel the nervousness her revelation caused me. I have heard and seen a lot of unbelievable shit in my young life but even this is a little too much to accept without blinking.

"That's quite all right. I will avoid taking a peek at your impure thoughts. Coming to business, Mr. Stoppable, what brings you here? I don't exactly advertise my services outside this small community."

I blink at her stupidly for a couple of seconds before laughing.

"I'm sorry… It's just that up until a moment ago you seemed so omniscient . You even knew who I was back inside the inn. You caught me off guard Miss…?"

"Where are my manners? Mishana Seihou, Healer Extraordinaire. Pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Stoppable. I can quite understand your point. I like to keep people on their toes. It's amusing," she says as we shake hands.

"I can imagine. Here, this is from my Sensei. He said that you would understand." I pass her a envelope Sensei gave me to give her. Probably a message of some kind. She reads it holding the paper with her perfectly manicured hands, before ripping it to shreds with a sincere smile on her face and a light gleam of unshed tears in her eyes. I wonder what's that all about.

"It seems that we have a deal. I'll take a look at your problem and if it's within my power I will help you solve it. I suppose we should begin right away. Sit on that stool and remove your shirt, please. You can ask me your questions while I examine you."

I undress like she asked and sit where she pointed me, exposing by back to her examination. I can feel her finger running smoothly on my back and strangely I don't find the contact as arousing as I imagined it would be. There's some sort of… holiness about her? But without the holy part. There some '_ness_ about her that I can't describe. Not quite transcendental but not even common.

"So… how exactly did you know I was coming?" I ask her while she keeps checking my back.

"Scrying," she says in a even tone, clearly reflection her current professional set of mind. "A form of divination. It doesn't actually tell me the future but it lets me know if something is already moving my way. That's how I knew you were coming but not why. So I thought I could wait for you at the inn. It's the only way to _this side._"

"Oh. That sounds cool. It also told you my name?"

"No. I live here but I often venture on your side. You are quite a famous character lately and your disguise would only deceive those who aren't interested enough in knowing who the person under the mask is."

"I see. Err… You said you are a Magus but what exactly is that? If it's not too a personal question, " I clarify not wanting to hurt her sensibility or something.

"Not at all," She dismisses my worries. "There are two type of mystic users Mr. Stoppable; those who are born with the ability and those who develops it. The first type falls under the definition of mahou, if male or a majo, if female. Those who develops it on their own are called Magus regardless of gender."

"That's the only difference?" I ask wanting to know more about the subject. My life might as well depend on it.

"Not quite. Magic or Mystic power exist in every living thing. What makes the difference is the way to reach and wield that power. In both cases it requires some sort of medium. Mahou and Majo usually use an artifact made with sensitive materials while a Magus…," she trails off as she examine a seemingly interesting spot at the base of my neck.

"Yes? What about a Magus?"

"A Magus changes part of its body and soul to harness and channel the power creating what's commonly called a _circuit_ within the body to connect with the power. It's a very risky process that can cost the aspiring practitioner his very life. There are other differences of course but they are more cultural than practical. However both types have made the secrecy of our existence the first and foremost priority. In fact even if there are ways to remove the memory of certain event from the mind of a person, murderering is not looked down upon as a method to uphold the secret form the mundanes."

"Then why are you telling me all this?" I ask a little freaked out.

"Hm? Oh, I can see how would be confusing for you. Mr. Stoppable, that law does not apply in your case since you are a Magus just like me."

"I AM?" I nearly shout, bewildered by her statement.

"Of course. Although you circuit is extremely specialized. A Thai Xing Pek Qwar practitioner I see. Much like your Sensei."

"What.. what does it means?"

"It means that your mystical ability is focused on augmenting your capacity as a melee fighter. Speed, stamina, endurance, strength. You will never be a caster type. It would require you years of practice to learn the most basic spell and the most advanced branches are something you cannot achieve no matter how hard you try."

"How? I never undergone any ritual to obtain a circuit, how could I… Oh." Of course I did. I run right in the centre of those damned statues.

"Oh, indeed. The Monkey Idols were built with the specific task of bestowing the Monkey Circuit to any person with the right set of mind to welcome the knowledge they carried." She removes her hands from my back and wanders to a shelf filled by dusty tomes, searching for something with those nimble fingers of her. "Ah here it is." She carries back a scroll, unrolling it at my feet.

Four Monkeys in four different colors are drawn around the figure of a man.

"What did you mean by specific set of mind?"

"The idols," she explains "were made to instill the knowledge of Monkey Kung Fu to any worthy candidate that willingly stepped between them. Of course not just anybody could have triggered their functions. It would have required a person that knew about monkeys to the point of obsession, maybe even worshipped them. The candidate should have spent a great deal of time watching them, studying how they moved, lived interacted and fought. The idols don't actually create anything, rather they adjust the candidates memories to suggest the techniques to their brain. The process, of course, requires a flow of mystical energy to succeed, thus the Idols creates, or used to create at this point, the most suitable circuit in order to receive and pursue the path as a practitioner of Thai Xin Pek Qwar."

By the end of her explanation my jaw his hanging by its hinges.

"Wait a frigging minute. I absolutely loathed monkeys! I couldn't bear to be in the same room with one of those. They haunted my dreams since I was a child. There is no way I was a suitable candidate." I almost scream in her face.

"Why not? The scroll doesn't say it should have been a positive interest. By your description a well rooted phobia might have worked quite in the same way."

"But… but…. Oh damn. Irony's a bitch. What would Fiske say about this?"

_\He would probably laugh his ass at us. Nah he would rant even more on how we usurped his right as mystical monkey master, yadda yadda yadda.\_

"Who just talked?" Mishana asks all of a sudden narrowing her eyes.

_\Uh, Do you thinks she heard me?\_

"There it goes again. Show yourself." Hovering over her palm there something that look like a circle with.. runes inside. Her left forearm is alight with lines of energy. Is that what a circuit looks like? "How could anyone get past my wards?"

"Er… Miss Seihou. I don't think anyone broke into your house," I tell her. Damn it seems like I have to explain her everything.

"I know I heard someone," then she narrows her eyes at me. "Are you being possessed by a spirit Mr. Stoppable? Is that your affliction? I didn't detect anything foreigner inside your circuit."

"Cause there wasn't. It's a long story and you'd better make yourself comfortable. It's going to take a while."

For the… what this? The tenth time I retell my from the Prom's night skimming over the most personal details. When I finally finish my story she's looking pensive but not freaked out .

"Hm. I think your Sensei got it right. Your implant, that Legacy, is siphoning part of your energy to fuel its own growth. I'll need further examinations to discern if it's trying to take you over or if it's just trying to repair its host. You make an interesting case on many different levels Mr. Stoppable. I'm looking forward to dissect err… examine you. I think that a couple of days should be enough to run all tests. You can use that room at the end of that corridor during your permanence here. I will write your Sensei to inform him of this development. We'll begin the tests tomorrow in the early morning."

"That's cool, thanks. I definitely need some shuteye right now. It's been a long exciting day. If you don't mind I'll just go and collapse on the bed, Miss Seihou."

"Make yourself at home. I'll wake you up tomorrow morning. Don't worry if you see the lights still on later tonight. I don't sleep very much and I spend the time reading. Oh. I almost forgot. You should shut down you prosthetic arm. The air on this side is naturally saturated with power and it interferes with working electronic appliances to the point they burns. "

"Will do, thanks. Good night then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night Mr. Stoppable."

I walk down the corridor she showed me and found a small single bed room with a small desk and equally small closet. The kind of room made for short permanence. The sheets are clean the air smells like flowers. I don't think I'll have any problem sleeping here.

No more than five minutes later I'm on the bed staring at the ceiling, wondering exactly what other surprises are waiting for me behind the next corner. I don't know if I'm more excited or scared but definitely it's been a while since the last time I've been bored.

If that's a blessing or a curse I have yet to find out.

* * *

"_It's been a long time Mother." Susano-O says looking at what seems like a mud covered wall. Silence his the answer he receives. "Your hospitality hasn't improved over the centuries, nor the entertainments you provide for your guests," he says wiping a stain of the black mud from his clothes nonchalantly . "Your challenges are getting easier every time. Your guardians couldn't even slow me down."_

"_They weren't meant to keep my kind outside," a disembodied voice answers back with a sad tone._

"_No of course not. They are meant to keep you in. How does it feel like to be the queen and the only inmate of this realm?" The man-god asks._

"… _What do you want Susano-O? Why did you come here?"_

"_You wound me. Can't a child visit his own mother from time to time?" he asks holding his chest in mock hurt._

"…_," If the darkness could narrow its eyes this would be the case._

"_I guess that's not much believable even coming from me, eh? Ah well, acting has never been my forte. Let us cut the chase then. Where's Father?"_

"_What makes you think I know of his whereabouts? I cannot leave this place and he hasn't been here since he sealed me in Yomi."_

"_Amaterasu has checked every realm beside this. There was no trace of him anywhere. This is the only place where he could hide from our eyes. I will ask you again. Where is he?" he repeats his question, this time with no amusement but with imperiousness in his voice._

"_Watch you tone whelp! Your swords can cut through anything but even them cannot kill what's already dead," Susano-O doesn't even flinch at the implied threat. "Regardless. I have not seen my dear husband since the day he sealed me in here. His love for me hurts us too much to withstand each other presence. Such is the curse of Love."_

"_Touching," he replies dryly. "Well then, Mother. Where do you suppose he might have gone. Where could he hide so well that his children cannot find him even if they actively search for him. Even with all his power he should not be able to do it. Where are still part of him." That last sentence his stated with pride. A pride that doesn't escape the ears of the faceless darkness._

"_As much as you are still part of me, don't you forget," the female voice replies with clear sadness._

"_How could we ever? " a moment of silence pass between them. It's significance his lost to me but not its importance. "You still haven't answered my question, Mother. Where in the Nine Realms could Father be hiding?"_

"_Nowhere in the Nine Realms he could hide away from your sight. No, if he cannot be found then he is not there. Foolish man. He just had to go ahead with it."_

"_What? What are you talking about?" Susano-O inquires with worry in his voice._

"_He has left. Returned to his original state. He has rejoined the nothingness. He has embraced true death."_

"_NONSENSE!" Susano-O rages. "The Nine Realms depends on his very existence. If Father has died then everything would have followed him."_

"_You know nothing child." The darkness reprimands him. "The balance doesn't need Izanagi-sama to keep on living. Only his Immortal Heart is required."_

"_This can't be. This cannot be. Father would never leave without telling us. Why would he?" Susano-O asks with a despair in his voice that so unlike the ruthless swordsman I knew up to this point._

"_Why would he imprison me here? It is obvious that his wish didn't contemplate his continued existence. Hmpf… Maybe even this fate he condemned me to was a misguided attempt for him to break our bond making me hate him. Foolish man. Didn't he know that not even he has that power over me?"_

"_Where is the Heart then? Even that shouldn't escape my notice. Where did he hid it?"_

"_Obviously in the only place we cannot reach," the voice answer with even more sadness._

"_There is no such…" he denies until his face pale for the realization. "NO! The tenth realm? The mortal world? That cannot be. Not without a suitable vessel."_

"_Then he must have found a pure enough vessel to carry it."_

"_How can it be? How can the mortal realm produce a vessel so unblemished to host the greatest of treasures? Something so pure not even the favorite children of the maker can hold? It shouldn't be possible," Susano-o protest with little conviction and too much surprise._

"_You are right, It should not be possible. Yet it is. Perhaps that is why he didn't inform his children. If such an event has taken place he must have acted faster than anyone but himself could have noticed."_

"_I… I must go. I have to find the vessel before any mortal stumbles upon it. It could mean the end of everything as we know it."_

"_Yes that might actually happen. However I do not believe your father would endanger his creation or his beloved children, not even in his hastiness."_

"_You are right, but I have to see it with my own eyes before anybody has the chance to get an hold over it." The swordsman says resolutely._

"_Good luck with that. Your sister has been here long before you and reached the same conclusion. She has quite the head start."_

"_Amaterasu didn't … TSUKUYOMI?" He bellows. " You told her about the Heart? Have you become completely mad Mother? That could be worse than any mortal finding it. She's twisted beyond recovery. She's madness incarnated."_

"… _Chaos breeds life, Susano-O, and the Heart is all about life. Never forget it. It might actually be calling out to her. Out of all our childer she resembles her parents the most." But the man doesn't listen anymore. His powerful legs are already carrying him back from whence he came. His mother last words lost to his ears. "…Foolish child. Always running head first into every challenge. This is not something you can deal with your swords anymore. Your blades cannot reach it. Only another heart can. You already are out of your league."_

_The Darkness is silent for a moment then she seems to sigh. "Izanagi-sama… have you found the person you've been looking for? The one that will unite what has been set asunder? Have you found the King?"_

_The darkness surrounds me completely and the dreams fades to blackness._

* * *

_*THUMP THUMP*_

"Mr. Stoppable? Would you like to join me for breakfast?" Ms. Seihou voice wakes me up from my slumber. My head hurts a little but nowhere near the level of yesterday morning.

"Hrrrmm? Oh yes. Just give a minute to get ready," I tell her trying to regain a semblance of consciousness.

"About that, I'm leaving some clothes outside of the door that will look inconspicuous compared to your current outfit. I'll be waiting in the study for you to."

"Thanks. I'll be there in a moment," I hear her footsteps getting farther away and when I'm confident she's no longer in sight I open the door and retrieve the bundle of clothes from the floor. It's nothing fancy, a simple gray kimono that should make me blend in nicely until somebody is staring straight at my face.

Like promised five minutes later I join her in the halls where she's waiting for me wearing a similar outfit in white and pink. Useless to sat that she's wearing it like a second skin.

"Shall we go?"

"Uh? Oh we are having breakfast outside?"

"Indeed. I'm afraid that I have bothered to learn how to cook properly. I usually don't kind but it would reflect badly on my reputation if one of my patient died of food poisoning," she explain with aloofness.

"Ah ah. That's all right. I might give you some tips later. I'm quite proficient behind a counter," I offer her.

"That so? Why, I would have never imagined that such a renown hero would lower himself to such trivial chores."

"Trivial? What, cooking? You gotta be kidding me. Cooing is a form of art to me. It's actually one of the few things I'm actually real good at. And I enjoy the final result myself."

"… That'so? You truly are an interesting individual Mr. Stoppable."

"So I've been told. Anyway Miss Seiouh would you mind calling me Ronald or Ron? It really makes me feel old being called by my last name."

"I suppose that would work as long as you do the same with me Ron," she accepts with a smile.

"That's cool. I really don't like titles and honorifics especially not when they are applied to me. They make me feel so… stiff."

"Hm. You are rather down to earth aren't you, Ronald?"

"When it comes to things that keep people apart I do. I don't mind being polite or anything, and I have no problem in using proper titles when needed but otherwise… I don't know…. it makes me feel too self-important when somebody calls me Mr. Stoppable or Stoppable-sama. When they do it I feel like looking around and ask 'who me?'."

She chuckles softly at my rant and I can't help but being enthralled by her voice. I don't like the way she affects me. It's not normal and for once that NOT kosher.

"Something wrong Ronald? You went quiet all of a sudden," she asks noticing my silence.

"Err… I don't want to sound rude but… I'm sorry there something about you that sets me off and makes me keep my guard up. It's not like I feel threatened or something, it's just unsettling."

She doesn't seem offended by my comment. In fact she actually looks pleased.

"There nothing wrong with that. If anything it shows that you have a deeper sensibility than most. If you can trust my words, don't worry about it. It won't harm you or anybody else for that matter."

"I'll try not let it bother me," I reply with a nod.

"Here we are," she stops in her track in front of a… ramen stand?

"Are we having breakfast in this place?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem eating ramen in the morning? I understand it's not a typical breakfast but I just love this stuff."

"Miss… err.. Mishana. I have no problem eating anything at any hour of the day. My stomach can withstand anything, seriously." That's true. Once you can eat Diablo sauce you can probably digest anything regardless of the circumstances.

"That's good. Come along then. I'll introduce you to this fine delicacy."

* * *

Half an hour later we have finished with our breakfast and we returned to her office where she promptly made me undress again and began her examination.

It's kind of an embarrassing situation having her tracing invisible lines on my chest and back with those little fingers. The feeling of awkwardness is further enforced by a complete lack of arousal at her touch. How does she manages to do this to me without sending my mind in the gutter?

Questions, questions. I'm not going to find an answer in my head and I'm not going to ask her either. Curiosity is eating me but I can't do anything about it. This sucks.

"Hmmm, this is very curious," she ponders aloud after almost two hours of work. I don't like something _curious_ about my health. Sounds a lot like harmful as of now.

"Hm? Oh it's nothing to be worried about, really but…"

"Yes?" I prompt her to continue.

"You remember my explanation on Circuit creation right? Well normally a Magus transform one single nerve in his body to channel the power, say to one arm for instance. However this is not your case."

"It isn't?"

"No. You remember those guys back at the inn yesterday? How their arm looked like it was actually a charged circuit?"

"Yes I remember. Uh. Can I do that too?"

"Yes, in time you could but that's not the point. Please stand up in front of that mirror."

I walk to the full height mirror staring at the reflection of my mangled body. Hm. I've been putting up a nice physique lately. Too bad for the missing arm and eye.

"I'm going to channel some of my power inside your Circuit to make it visible, stand still."

"is it going to hurt?" I ask as she steps behind me placing her palm on my back in proximity of my heart.

"No, your body will flush the foreigner energy without damage. It will maybe tickle a little. All right, here goes."

A warm sensation spreads from her hand to my back, as her arm his lightened by a complex patter, and then it moves to the rest of my body. I don't see anything happen for a moment but then…

A hexagonal line of reddish energy appears on my chest outlining the shape of Legacy on my beating heart. It takes a moment but from there other six lines spread form the angle and then split it two other lines each to draw the snowflake shape.

After another pause the lines extend even more running over my chest and shoulders all the way to my right hand. They proceed up to my eyes and even down below the waist line. I feel the warmness spread to my bare feet where a single line reach each toe.

I'm decorated by powered lines that stretch across the whole length of my body, outlining my muscle like a simple, yet truly artistic tattoo.

"What the hell?" I ask dumbfounded.

"You have four time the amount of Circuits of any average Magus I've ever met," Mishana explains looking at my reflection from behind my shoulder.

"Is that bad?"

"Not in itself. It makes your body capable of channeling more power at once. The problem is that it's something that can be done only by replicating the original processes of Circuit creation you undergone the first time."

"Which I didn't do," I point out to her.

"Of course. This means that it has been made by someone else. Someone that can have an hold on your power and make use of it."

It's not like there's need to say it aloud however….

"Legacy, right?" She nods at me.

"Hm. Being a part of you and inside your body it can actually make use of your power like you do."

"What exactly is it doing?"

"Judging by the work it has done so far, I'd say repairing and strengthening you. For what purpose, however, we do not know."

A bitter taste fills my mouth. I never feel threatened by Legacy until now. However I can't help but being scared by his handiwork. Where exactly is my little savior going to take me?

The answer is nowhere in sight yet.

* * *

Author Notes: Here's another (unedited) chapter for ya folks

If anybody of you readers has notice something coming either from Fate/Stay Night or Harry Potter well… it's because there is. I insist that this story is not a Cross Over. It takes however place in the same "King Continuum" as my "Rise of the Forgotten (Harry Potter)" and "Path of the King (Fate/Stay Night – not yet begun)". The characters from those stories won't EVER met in this story (but I plan to write a few crossovers) and they take place in different time frames. "Rise of the Forgotten" goes from 1981 to 1998, "Path of the King" take place in early 2002 and "Identities" is currently taking place in 2006 and will go as far as 2015-2016. Ron will not face wizards from the Harry Potter universe (besides a few cameos) since, as explained in this chapter, they basically live in a parallel world. There will be a few characters with mystical abilities from FSN (Magus) but they won't have a very major role. Identities take place in the KP scenario with a few mystical arcs like this one.

For more references on how a Magic Circuit works I'll post a link in my profile. There's no need to know about it to continue reading this story or any knowledge of the other two stories at all. They are compartmentalized.

That's all I need to say. Feel free to ask any question you want.

Till next time.


	62. Interlude Gold  Competition

**Interlude Gold – Competition (Tales from Home 3)**

* * *

I can't believe that this is happening. Not again.

"WHERE IS THE SQUEEB?" The frog like creatures screams. His voice reaches us inside the hut we barricaded ourselves into immediately after the first wave of mutant frogs. Damn that idiot did have to spread his disease to the animals around the lake. Like he wasn't enough to ruin a perfectly good day. Oh no. He had to send after us a plethora of scaly monsters with webbed feet and a terminal case of bad breath.

"Not again," Kim sighs voicing my thought.

"YOU THINK YOU ARE SO POPULAR, SQUEEB? SO MUCH THAT YOU WON'T EVEN COME OUT AND FACE ME? COME OUT YOU PATHETIC LITTLE THING. FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

_*SNORT*_ "He 's one to talk," Bonnie comments from somewhere inside the darkness that fills the room.

"You'd think he would have learned this lesson by now? Why do you think he keeps coming back?"

"Maybe he has a thing for the Loser?" Bonnie says and a shiver runs down my spine.

"God, Bonnie. I did not need that mental image. That's wrong-sick." I tell her. Seriously how disgusting is that?

"Why?" She asks. "Afraid of some competition?"

"From that thing? As if!"

"Would you two please stop arguing? We need to come up with a plan," Kim reprise us. She's right. This is not the moment for this kind of conversation.

"What's wrong , K? Are you scared?"

"As if Bonnie. I'm worried about you girls. Me? I can deal with that idiot any time of the week."

"Like the last two times?"

"That was different. He took me by surprise."

"You keep telling yourself that, K."

"What's wrong with you?" Kim hisses. "I thought that you of all people would be bitching about this sitch and blaming Ron for not being here."

"Nah. The competition went to hell from the beginning anyway. We weren't even in the top ten. Who would have thought that the public loved the Mad Dog so much. Damn that idiot for bailing out on us just before this summer camp."

"Now, listen here Bonnie. Ron is not an…"

"Quit it, you two," I almost shout. "Can't you be in the same room for more than two minutes without jumping at each other throat? Get a grip!"

Silence. Neither of them speak for a moment.

"Wow. Hey K, looks like Tara grew up a spine."

"Yeah. And she's right. We have to get the hell out of here before he figures exactly where we're hiding."

"Do you think the others are ok?" I ask Kim.

"I think so. Gill modus operandi is to take hostages to lure Ron out."

"But Ron's not here," I point out. "So it's up to us to deal with the freak this time."

"Us?" Kim asks more than a little surprised. "You aren't going to do anything else but sit here while I take care of him. There 's no need to give him any more hostages than he already has."

"Well, K. For once I agree with you. Please go ahead and make yourself home with those squishy things out there. I'll be sitting right here where it's safe."

"Bonnie," I hiss. "You can't think about leaving the rest of the girls in the hands of that monster. He'll turn them like him."

"So? Do you think that anyone of them would risk as much as an hair on their head for you? Keep dreaming. If you were with them it would be a completely different matter but as long as you are safe I'm not going to put myself in danger. No way."

"That's so? Than you'd better start warming up cause I'm going in there and rescue the other. With you or without you Bonnie. You too Kim. I'm not just going to sit back and let you do all the job. Got it?"

"…Damn you Tara. The loser and the princess have been rubbing off on you lately. Fine. Let's do this."

"…There's no way I'm going to talk you out of this, am I?" Kim asks.

"Nope. No way," I confirm.

"All right then. Here's the plan…."

* * *

Sneaking around in the forest, at night, while mutant creatures from a B-rated horror movie are on the lookout for me it's not my idea for a vacation. I suppose it's not the idea for a vacation to anybody with a bit of brain in their heads. But it's not like we have a choice… Well according to Bonnie we do, but I can't honestly leave the rest of my friends… (fine, Teammates ) in the hands of that overgrown frog-fish freak. Seriously, why can't we have a normal Cheer Camp?

Oh, great. Now I'm channeling Bonnie. Head in the game, Tara. You won't have a second chance. The others are counting on you.

Slowly I reach the position Kim has planned for me to take. From here I can see most of the clearing around the lake. Gill is standing on the small pier over the lake. It seems to be waiting for something. Most probably his waiting for his mutated minions to find Ron (fat chance) or another one of us cheerleaders. The shed where he keeps his hostages is on the opposite side of the camp from where I'm standing right now. This should be far enough.

I take the Kimmunicator Kim gave me and put the volume to its maximum after changing the voice parameters as instructed. Taking a deep breath I shout.

"HEY GILL!" the device changes my voice to sound like Ron's. "DON'T YOU EVER LEARN YOUR LESSON? YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO GET ME. AH AH AH."

The plan worked like a charm. I can't hear him from here but his minions leap out of the shadows in my direction. Damn their hearing is good. Gotta get the hell out of here.

I throw a last glimpse in the direction of the camp just in time to see a couple of human figures making a run for the hostages' shed.

I put a lot of distance between me and the place where I've lured those things. Hopefully this would give Kim and Bonnie enough time to free the rest of the girls.

It's ironic. I never thought that I would have to fill Ron's shoes as distraction in one of Team Possible ops. Perhaps this will bring me a little insight to his outlook on life.

Suddenly a noise comes from my left. A rustling of leaves is the telltale of something coming my way. Before I have any time to react something slimy wrap itself around me.

"Well, well well. What do we have here? Another of the Squeeb's cute friends. Tell me little girl. Where's the loser hiding this time."

Gill's rancid breath fills my nostril and I feel like vomiting. Ugh. Ever heard of flossing? Scratch that. Ever heard of a damn toothbrush?

"Not here that's for sure."

"He escaped already. Damn that loser. Doesn't he care about the hostages?"

I really have to hold back from rolling my eyes. I supposed I should be scared but this is the third time I have to deal with His Mucusness. Even a mutant freak like him gets old after a while.

"No, you idiot. He didn't come here in the first place. He dropped out of the team over a month ago. He left the States and won't come back till September. Seriously don't you watch the news? "

"Tsk. I should have imagined he couldn't keep his spot on the team for much longer. Nevermind. You'll be keeping me company until he comes back and gets what he deserve. Hrrmm… in fact I don't mind spending a few weeks in your company. You look delicious."

His voice his whispering in what he must think a husky tone right in my left hear. This time the urge to spill the content of my stomach is almost unbearable.

"You know what? I don't think I will."

"You don't have a choice you little cu.. UUURGHHYAA!" Gill's voice turn in a strangled yelp as my left heel encounter the spot where his…male things should be situated. By his reaction I think that the mutation hasn't deprived him of his precious parts. His webbed hands slip off me to bring comfort to his injured parts leaving me free to run. Something I'm not going to do.

I'm no martial artist. I'm nowhere in Kim's league when it comes to ass kicking, but I have coordination, balance and flexibility. Enough to plant my right foot on the foul creature temple while he's too busy to even try and avoid my blow.

_*CRUNCH*_

Pushed by my high kick his head slams against a tree, doubling the effect of my attack. Still, the mutated creature is tougher than it looks and doesn't pass out. He looks at me with murder in his eyes even if his ragged breathing tells me he won't be getting up anytime soon.

I'd like to strike him again while he's still down but more sounds from the bushes warn me of the other approaching mutants. I have to get out of here before they surround me.

Taking off in the direction of the camp I don't bother looking back. The sounds are getting closer. Too close to comfort.

Once I'm out if the trees line it's time to put my trained legs into play, speeding up as fast as I can where Kim and Bonnie are supposed to be waiting for me. To my disappointment they aren't.

A cold dreading feeling creeps up my spine. No, they wouldn't leave me here. I must have been too fast.

_*CROACK* CROACK*_

One, two, three…. six mutant frogs half my size surrounds me in the blink of an eye. Damn.

"That hurt, you bitch," Gill growls as he approaches. "I'm going to make you pay for that. Before and after I've had my fun with you." He leaps on me, sending me fumbling backwards, pinning my arm on the ground right above my head. This doesn't look good. No way in hell I'm going to let him do that to me. It might be corny but there's a specific guy I's like to be my first. Certainly not this slimy freak. "Well? Cat ate your tongue? Where's the brave girl that stood up to me just a moment ago?"

"Hm? Oh I was just considering that you really don't learn. What do you think you gained by blocking my arms? It's my legs you have to be looking out from." *_SCRUNCH_* "See what I mean?"

"GHHHH!" Gill lets go of my arms in favor of cradling is doubly abused …. thingies I take the chance to deliver once more. It's not very feminine I admit it, but from my position below him a head butt it's the best I can do.

_*THUD*_

"Owww," I moan as I push him away and stand up. "Definitely not the brightest idea I ever had." I look around with an eye closed for the pain and the little relief I just felt vanishes immediately. Six frogs became fifteen and by the look of it, seeing their master fall didn't send them running. In fact it seems they are about to leap at me. "Aw. I'm so screwed."

The closet on them jumps at me while I'm still too stunned do dodge, only to be intercepted by the flying foot of a determined redhead.

"Tara! I'm here."

"Kim! I've never been more glad to see you but… I don't think numbers are in our favor." Even while her back is turned to me I can tell that she's smirking by the smugness that's rolling out of her in waves.

"I don't think so. Girls? CHAAAARGE!"

"YEAAAH!"

As one, over thirty voices roar into the night. The girls from our team but also from the other school are charging ahead armed with makeshift weapons. Table legs, chairs, lamps. Everything that could be used as a blunt weapon is carried on the battle field.

Having lost the advantage of the surprise effect the mutants stand very little chance. A few are knocked out right away, while others do the wisest thing their brains can process and run back into the lake. One of the girls gives me one of the foldable chairs used by the audience during the performances before joining the battle again.

Left and right, all around me the mutants are chased away, clearly defeated. Only Gill remains on the ground still clutching his injured parts. I close the distance between us and look down at him.

He tries to get up and flee or perhaps fight but he's constantly hindered by my chair hitting him over the head. Again and again and again and again and….

"Tara. That's enough," Kim stops me. I didn't even notice her. "I think he got it this time. Don't you Gill?"

"Yef! Yef!" he moans through broken teeth."I'p forry!"

"You'd better be," shouts Bonnie while she flies on him with a double kick that would make Steel Toe proud. "You fishy little bitch! If you ever lay an hand on Tara again I'll turn you into fish paste! DO! YOU! HEAR! ME!" she shouts reiterating every word with another kick.

"YEEF!"

"Bonnie. That's enough," I tell her. She turns to me with a bewildered expression on her face. For a moment I think she wants to kick me too but soon enough I find myself in her warm embrace.

"Silly, silly Tara. You see what happens when you don't listen to me? He almost…"

"He almost. But he didn't. See what could have happened to any of the others if we had just run away," I reverse her argument much to her dismay.

"You are way too kind Tara. One day someone's gonna take advantage of it and hurt you real bad."

"Maybe but… I would still have you, my friend. Right?"

"Of course silly. Come on. Enough mushyness. I have a facade to keep up. Let's find a rope to tie this piece of shit before he tries to run away."

"Right behind you Bonnie. Kim keep an eye on him would you please?

"Sure thing. And… Tara?"

"Hm?"

"You have done great. Ron would be proud of you," she says with honesty. I can't help but smile at my true competition.

"I certainly hope so, Kim."

And with those last words I follow Bonnie to search one of the sheds for tools while the rest of girls stay on the lookout for more mutants. Now that we know they are out there they won't get the upper hand anymore.

* * *

An hour later, the authorities alerted by Wade arrives with a full show of lights and sirens. Always a moment too late like in a very bad movie. They quickly secure the area and tale Gill away again. Hopefully this time they won't let him go as easily.

We are returning home now. No reason to remain. While there are no wounded luckily no one is in the mood to stay here any longer.

We are riding back in one o the Police cars. Kim is sitting at my left looking out of the window. She's the less traumatized of us, of course. She had her number of run in with this kind of stuff. Another advantage she has on me over Ron.

Bonnie is at my right, fast asleep in her cheerleader uniform. She was pretty scared for me back then. Something that warms my heart like very few other things ever could. I think I'm going to join her now and let this horrible night slip by.

Ron would be proud of me said Kim. Perhaps tonight he could be so kind to visit my dream like he always does and tell me so himself.

Dreams… the only thing I have of him now until he comes back. Don't make me wait Ron. There's a lot of things I want to tell you. A lot of things I want to do with you. No day is too soo.

Come back home Ronald. I'm waiting right here.

Author Note:

Another fast update. Something back from the KP universe to set things back in the right frame. I wrote this in one go to give Tara some screen time. She has more than deserve it. She will have more before the Arc is over and even more once Ron gets back in the State.

Next time another interlude from Shego POV right from the Possible Household. Make sure not to miss it.

Bye.


	63. Interlude Preparations

**Interlude – Preparations**

* * *

It is done. It took some _convincing_ but the stubborn old man and his underlings will stay out of my way. It took me a lot of efforts to retrieve that dagger, but if it's going to keep the Nakizachi clan off my back it was all the worth.

What was the big deal with that dagger anyway? It was old, ancient even, certainly worth more than a little money for someone with an expertise for antiques, but I still don't know how assassinating Ookuchi with it will frame an unknown woman somewhere in Kyoto.

Never mind. It's not really my problem. I've upheld my part of the deal and Boss Ichiro has armed the assassin. That's all I care about.

Now that the Nakizachi are fighting to determine the new Boss or hunting that woman they will have no time to run in aid of Yamanouchi. With the Setsuninto's help taking down Yamanouchi will be far too easy. The ninjas aren't front line fighters and with the numbers in my favor they will go down.

Too bad Stoppable won't be there to take part in the feast. A minor inconvenience. With Yamanouchi and Nakizachi out of the picture tracking the little mongrel will be a trivial task at worst. The imposter might run but with the Setsuninto controlling the local underworld he won't be able to hide, and once I'll have him in my grasp I will rip his still beating heart from his chest with the Lotus Blade itself. Uh uh uh. Now that's something to look forward to. I love when a plan comes together without a hitch.

… Then again it isn't all peach and roses. Dealing with the Setsuninto is an unpleasant experience at best. Especially that man, Demuku, he gives me the shivers. I've never seen eyes like those before. Empty. Dark. Cold. I'm not the prime example of sanity but that man reeks of blood so much that he must have bathed into it for extended periods of time.

Sigh. The things a man must do to achieve his ambitions. It all comes with a price I suppose. Besides I'm not here to pick flowers myself either. One cannot go around and sever heads and rip hearts without staining his clothes a little.

I'd better keep my guard up though. These guys are honor bound to their word but only a fool would take a killer word at face value. There's no telling what they might try once Yamanouchi will be destroyed. Our deal doesn't contemplate anything besides that.

"_Fiske-san, Ichiro-sama has asked for you,"_ a young man calls for me.

"_I'll be there shortly,"_ I respond. I will not be summoned like one of his underlings. He must be grateful that I need his resources to deal with this or else… Never mind. Once the full extent of the Mystical Monkey Power will finally be mine I will deal with all these disrespectful interlopers. Until then I have to be patient and bid my time. Yes, let us leave the small fry run around for the time being. It will make things all the more fun once they realize the mistake of disrespecting me.

I make my way to the meeting room. This tower of his certainly is impressive. Huge for such a construction and let us not speak of the location. How they have managed to build this thing is beyond me. Then again it hardly even matters.

I reach the door to his study, constantly guarded by two of his most trained people. They barely spare a glance for me but I know they will be watching. Ichiro himself is no slouch but that doesn't mean that he will put himself in a disadvantageous position if he can avoid it. There's a reason why I've picked him out of the many enemies of Yamanouchi.

The guards let me inside where Ichiro, the short, grey haired man is apparently studying what looks like reports.

"_Ah. Fiske-san. You are here."_

"_As you requested. I suppose this isn't a social call. Do you have news of our little plot?"_

"_Indeed. The fish as taken the bait and the Nakizachi are running around like fools. Their top enforcers are already on the lookout for the scapegoat."_

"_Is there any chance they could find out the truth?" _I chuckles in response.

"_Our tracks are covered properly. The only one that could expose us is the very same woman we have framed for the deed. There is no chance they will listen to her. Not when there is so little chance of her being actually innocent. I must thank you my friend. Without your contacts we wouldn't have been able to acquire what we needed."_

"_As long as it works no expense is too much."_

"_Indeed. Finally after centuries Yamanouchi will fall and we will rise above all and you my friend will reap the prize you have sought."_

"_Uh, uh, uh" _The laugher escapes my mouth_." Then if the gears are in motion I should also prepare for the incoming confrontation. I wouldn't want to miss out the fun after all."_

"_That would be a great shame indeed. We will be moving tomorrow at sunset, Fiske-san. Make sure to be properly prepared. Yamanouchi might stand alone now, but it's not harmless."_

I merely nod my acknowledgement and I excuse myself. As if I needed him to remember me, a Master of Thai Xing Pek Qwar, how to prepare for battle. Fool. Like the rest of his clan. Once Stoppable will be dead there will I will be the one to rise above everybody else. Only me. Uh, uh, uh.

I can't wait to pry the Lotus Blade form Stoppable's cold fingers. Soon enough, soon enough it will all be mine.

Holding back the laugher is a physical effort. I can't let them see the extent of my ambition. Not until I know they can't do anything to stop me. It's just a little more time….

* * *

**Author Note:**

All right. Here we are back to this story. Sorry for the long wait everyone. I should be back to a more regular update rate (once a week or so). This is a little short but I will upload yet another interlude in the next couple of day. The shit is about to hit the fan and the following mess will see Ron getting down a blood path. Stay tuned for more.

See ya all soon.


	64. Interlude Green Tara

**Interlude Green - Tara (published 12.14.11 - Beta: none)**

* * *

"Wait, what?"

"We are moving Ronald's things in the attic. You don't mind sharing a room with him for a while, do you?" Ron's mother says. "We are going to turn his room in a nursery. He can't quite sleep in there anymore, can he?"

"A… a… a nursery? You mean… there's a baby coming? You're expecting?" I ask dumbfounded. Really? Another kid at her age? Are these two still going at it? Ugh. Gross. I did not that mental image.

"No, silly," she swats my arm. "We are adopting."

Oh, that makes more sense. And it's a tad less disgusting.

"Oh. Why didn't Ron tell me anything before he left? A new sibling his certainly not a minor thing. Especially if it's the reason for moving in with me."

"That's because he doesn't know yet," Ron's father, Dean, says as she walks in with the first box of Ron's thing.

"What do you mean he doesn't know…. You haven't told him anything? Is he just going to come home and find his stuff gone and a new child in his room?" That has to be traumatizing on too many levels.

"Yes. We thought that it would be quite a surprise for him. I can't wait to see his expression once he finds out," he explains.

"Uuuuh… Do you guys ever do anything normally in this house?" I ask.

"No," they answer in unison.

I guess that explains how the Buffoon grew up as he did. How are you supposed to be an equilibrated individual when your family pulls this kind of stunts on you? I would be majorly freaked out by now.

"You seems more disturbed by the fact that we are adopting a baby than Ron's coming to sleep in your room," Jane says with mirth. "Is there something I don't know between you and my son?"

Lady, you are waaay over your head if you're trying to embarrass me.

"I don't mind," I tell her with a shrug. "After all I offered to have sex with him in exchange of his protection when he came back from the dead. Sleeping in the same room as him it's quite mellow compared to that."

Jane sputters something unintelligible while Dean left foot trips on his right sending him sprawling in a way too reminiscent of his son.

"YOU WHAT?" They both shouts at the same time. I really have to hold back a smirk. They are as gullible as their son.

"Oh. He didn't tell you?" I tease. "Sure that's not the kind of stuff you tell your parents but I thought that the rumor had reached you by now. Then again Ron isn't the kind of guy that kisses and tells so a very few people might know."

"You.. you had sex with our son?" They ask in unison once more.

"No way," I deadpan. "I just say I've offered not that he had accepted."

A disbelieving looks settles on their faces. I have to admit that this would sound like bullshit to me as well if I wasn't rejected one.

"Let me get this straight," Dean begins. "My son, Ronald, refused to have sex with you after you have explicitly offered. It wasn't an innuendo that flew over his head?"

"No. No, no. I made it quite clear that I was willing to go all the way in exchange for his help," I confirm.

"Why?" Jane asks.

"Well. I was wanted at the time and I had nowhere to.."

"Not that!" She cuts me off. "Why did he turn you down? Did he tell you?"

"Some idiocy about not exchanging favors for sex and respecting me too much."

They both look at me for a tense moment before they both relax. Dean expression morphs into a thoughtful but prideful one, while Jane sighs in relief.

"Thank goodness," she says. "For a moment I thought he wasn't into girls and that I would never have any grandchildren."

I explode into laughter.

"Trust me. He IS into girls. In fact there is this nice little cheerleader that has the hots for him. She kissed him into unconsciousness the last time I saw her."

"Oh? Do tell," she says with a gleam in her eyes. Dean opts for leaving, shaking his head and muttering something about a '_chip of the old block_', whatever that means.

I tell Jane the tale of my encounter with… Tara if I'm not mistaken. There's a spark in her eyes as I tell her about her son potential girlfriend. She seem to approve the way she had dealt with Ron for leaving her in the dark about his wellbeing.

"That's a relief," she says. "He has always been so awkward around girls that I thought he would end with that Kimberly."

"Hm? I get that you don't like her, then. Strange. I thought that every mother would love her as a daughter-in-law."

"It's… It's not that I don't like her. She's a good person and she has been a friend for him for a very long time but… I don't know she always gave me the impression that she kept holding him back. Did you know that Ron gave up his job as the local manager of Bueno Nacho just to help her on a mission?"

I thing I remember that mission, but I missed that tidbit of information. The buffoon doesn't hold anything back when it comes to the people he cares about.

"I don't know about that, and trust me, this comes from someone who has no love for the redhead princess, but I think that Ron's just like that. You know… dedicated and loyal to a fault."

"Maybe… maybe you are right. And I suppose I should be proud of it but… I worry about him you know? What if someone takes advantage of his good heart and hurt him?"

Oh. I can relate to THAT.

"I don't know," I tell her."But for one I'm glad he is how he is. I wish… I wish that I met him sooner. Maybe if I did I…. I wouldn't have made certain choices." There's a tone of regret in my voice that I don't like. It makes me sound… weak.

A comforting hand is placed on my own. Jane smiles at me.

"Maybe," she says. "But you have met him now. And if I know my son as I do he won't find any rest until he set things straight."

"… Yeah. He's a fool like that."

"Indeed he is. Aren't you glad?"

"I… guess."

"Very well," she say letting my hand go. "Now, then. I'd better do my share of job or Dean is going to complain about it until Kingdom comes."

She turns and is about to leave the room when I stop her.

"Wait… Aren't you scared about bringing a baby under the same roof with a convicted criminal. There's no telling what I might do."

She turns to me. The emotion her smile awaken within me as painful almost in a physical manner.

"Sheila," she begins. "You aren't nearly as evil as you depict yourself to be."

"How do you know? How can you possibly know?"

"I'm a mother, Sheila. I can tell when a child is bad or simply hurt inside, and you my dear are the latter."

She leaves me like that, with that warm and mysterious smile. A little gesture that I've missed for so very long.

Oh, how I wish my mother had been able to do that. Tell the good people apart from the bad. If she did my life wouldn't suck as much as it does. Then again if she did I wouldn't be alive at all. Funny how a couple of months ago that would have been a good thing.

"Ah, Sheila?" Jane's voice calls me after a couple of minutes. "I think you've got a visitor. She's coming up there now."

Uh? A visitor? What's Betty doing here? She isn't supposed to come around if Ron's not home. It will raise too many questions and…

But it's not Betty that has come to visit. There is another person that knows I'm here beside GJ's affiliates like Kim and her family. One only person

"Hello, Shego," the cheerleader greets me. "We need to talk."

Well. This was unexpected. What could she want from me?

"Oh. All right. Come inside… Tara."She closes the door behind her and sits on a chair in front of the couch. She's oddly relaxed for someone in the presence of a worldwide wanted mutant criminal. There's a sense of determination about her that wasn't there the last time I saw her.

"I need to ask you a favor, Shego. You are the only person I the world I can think about to ask this." I cock an eyebrow at her voice. It's strong, determined, unwavering. There's very little I think I can do for her and all those possibilities involve a certain redhead and her sidekick.

"Oh? What exactly do you want from me?"

"Teach me," she begin looking down, like she's ashamed of what she's thinking. "Teach me how to become stronger than Kim."

For a moment I look at her, not understanding what she means. Then comprehension dawns on me and I can't fight the smirk forming on my face. This is good. This is too good to be real. She is asking ME to teach her how to overcome Kim?

I don't think twice about it. I don't need to question her resolve. I don't even care if she gives up at some point. The possibility of shaping the person that will take the pauper prince away from the princess is too good an occasion to pass it up.

"I'm going to put you through Hell. You know that right?"

She just nods and my grin widens to feral levels. Whether she makes it or breaks down while trying I don't care. I finally have something to work on, a leverage on Ron and Kim both. Another way to mess with Princess's head. Christmas must have come early and I've been a very good girl all year long.

She doesn't flinch back at my expression and that's already a good start.

"When can we start?" she asks, eager to test herself.

"No time like the present, blondie. No time like the present."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Right. Sorry for the long wait guys, but my beta Kenju has been rather busy lately and couldn't help me out. I decided to post this chapter unedited as it is. If something changes I'll make a note for you to come back and read this again in the next chapter.

I've been taken by a few plot bunnies in the past week. One for a post-Graduation story for Kim Possible that it's halfway done. Mostly I've been engrossed in writing a "Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4" fic and a Fate/Stay Night fic. You won't see them for a long time though since I probably won't upload them till they are finished.

That's all for the time being. For those who care I'll be updating my HP fic "Rise of the Forgotten" this week too. So make sure to stay tuned.

Till next time folks.


	65. Ambush

**Chapter 39 – Ambush (Published: 12.26.11 - Beta: none)**

* * *

Torture. Yep, this has to be it. A downright torture.

"Ugh… Stop it please…." I beg her to no avail.

"Tsk, tsk. Ronald we are not nearly done," she replies softly. She doesn't stop moving even if she is under a considerable strain too. Her forehead is marred with sweat but she doesn't bother whipping it away. She's too busy to even care.

"Oh God. Please… I…. I can't take this anymore….," I thought I was beyond whining but I was obviously wrong. There's just so much pressure a man can take at once. My body is at its limit. If this keeps up… if this keeps up I'm gonna…. No I must resist. I lose control now….

"I'm almost… there… Don't give up on me now," she encourages me, but I can't. There's no way I can do it.

"N… no… I can't… hold it any longer. Stop… I need to…. Please stop moving…,"my voice come in ragged breaths. With a sigh she seems to relent and moves away just in time for me to explode.

"Ngh! Aaaah ah ah ah ah ah! Oh God. AAHAHAHAHAHAHA _*Wheeze* _Ah ah ah ah ah ah"!

"Seriously, Ron…" she begins, but I'm too taken by my laughter to listen to any complaints she might have.

"Sorry! Ah ah ah ah!" Actually I'm not sorry at all. This has been going for almost three hours now.

"No, Ronald seriously," she says while she wipes away the sweat with the back of the hand that's holding the brush. "You can't expect me to finish drawing these seals if you keep moving and taking breaks."

"B -Ah ah ah ah _*Wheeze*_ ah ah… IT TICKLES!"

"Sigh. I've told you already. There more time it takes to finish the job the more its likely I slip somewhere. It's your life at stake here."

"It's my sanity that's at stake here…," I protest weakly. She just arch an eyebrow at me.

_\Never mind this Buffoon, lady. He has always been a wimp.\_ The Jester replies in my stead knowing that Mishana can hear him.

"Oh great," I grumble "Which side are you on anyway?"

_\Whichever side gives me a good laugh\_

"Sanity, uh?" Mishana comments dryly. "Never mind. Five minutes break and then we'll finish this even if I have to strap you to the bed."

_\Whoa! Kinky!\_  
/Shush you idiot!/

"I've heard that!"

Five minutes break isn't nearly enough and the following hour actually has me strapped to the bed while she paints my back. I swear this woman must have been some kind of torturer in her previous life. Finally, when the last stroke of her brush has passed, my body is covered in an elaborated pattern of reddish ink.

As I look myself in the mirror I can't help but admire her work. How she had managed to draw such a perfect patter while I twitched beneath her brush is beyond me. However, for all the admiration I have for her capabilities I'm not too fond of what I look like.

"So… How long do I have to look like a tattoo shop advertisement?"

"Don't worry. In a few hours the ink will be absorbed by your skin."

"Cool. I like the war paint on my face but not if it's permanent. So what does this thing do again?"

"It seeps away your excessive energy and dispels it outside of your body," she explains. "This should also slow down the growth of your symbiote."

"My… symbiote? Legacy?"

"Yes. By curbing your ability to wield your power the amount of energy it can use to grow is limited by your will. A small amount will still trickle to it because I can't tell how it would affect you if I'd cut its energy source completely."

"Oh. Good. I wouldn't like it if my heart suddenly stopped beating. It would be… irksome."

She chuckles. "Quite. However if and when you try to push your power the design might show up again so please avoid doing it in public."

"Yeah. That would send the kids running." And that's true. The thick, curvy lines on my face make me look like a demon. Definitely not the face you'd show around. "Anything else I oughta know?"

"On the long term very little. On the short term you can't use any of your powers until the seal is completely absorbed. It just wouldn't work."

"Ah, well. That isn't too much of a trouble anyway. I never knew how to use it anyway."

"You don't?" She asks in disbelief "That doesn't make any sense. The Lotus Blade runs on your power."

"It does? Well then how did I…. Wait a minute… How do you even know I use the Lotus Blade?" For a moment I thought Sensei might have wrote it in his letter but her smug smirk tells me she just played me.

"You just told me," she chuckles and I can only groan at my own foolishness . "Relax. It's not like I'm going to tell anybody. Not that I'd know anyone who'd give a damn about it. Anyway you can't call upon the Blade until the seals are gone."

"That shouldn't be too much of a trouble," I tell her with a shrug. "I don't plan to get into any fight for the foreseeable future anyway."

"You'd better not. I'd hate to have to treat you again. I swear I never had such a whiner for a patient before."

"And please do tell," I inquire a tad annoyed, "how many of your patients have you treated to over three hours of tickling torture?"

"None. You are the first but my point still stands."

"Bah. Whatever."

She reminds me of Shego sometimes. She's playful and she has a sharp tongue but more than anything else she has a look of hurt. It's far and well hidden but it's there. No wait hidden it's not the right words. She looks accustomed to the pain like a person that's living with an old wound.

It's a strange relationship the two of us have fallen into. Obviously friendly yet still wary of each other. That's natural since we met only two days ago, but in spite of that short time there's a strange openness between us that, while it's quite in character from me, it's definitely unexpected from a random stranger. Perhaps we are more alike than what a first glance could suggest.

Dispelling the thought I put my clothes back on. I'm used to be seen in my underwear but I'm still not too confident to stroll around wearing just that in front of a woman for an extended period of time. I return to my room taking a few of her books on the mystical applications of Thai Xing Pek Qwar to kill some time while the seals do their jobs. If everything goes without a hitch I'll be on my way back to Yamanouchi by this time tomorrow. I kind miss training with Hitomi.

* * *

_Eh. In hindsight I should have known better. I don't plan to get into any fight for the foreseeable future. I just had to jinx it, hadn't I? Not using the Lotus Blade for a few hours won't be a problem MY ASS!_

_God.  
Fucking.  
Dammit._

_On my defense there was no way I could have predicted this. Come on. I was fairly certain that none of the people who wants my skin could follow me in what's basically another world. And I was actually right._

_How did I end up in this mess again? You know, I might have been a coward for most of my life, but no one, no one can tell me that running away when your life's at stake isn't a smart move without me calling it bullshit. _

_So let me make something perfectly clear: when you trade cowardice for courage what you get out of it first and foremost is a clusterfuck of problems to deal with._

_Let me tell you about it._

* * *

It's almost midnight. I'm laying on the bed trying, and failing, to fall asleep. While I moved around earlier I didn't notice, but the seals painted on me still tickle uncomfortably. On the bright side I managed to sleep a few hours without nightmares or odd dreams. Maybe it was a coincidence or maybe all that crazy shit I kept seeing every time I closed my eyes were due to my power going haywire. Whatever the reason I won't miss waking up sweating in the middle of the night on a regular basis.

It's a fairly good mood I'm in right now. No imminent threats, no need to hide. Just slacking off for a few hours without nothing to do. Good old marinating. I kind missed this lay about feeling. Right now I'm just enjoying the fact that there's nothing I must particularly do besides letting time slip by.

… What was that? For a moment a felt some sort of low vibration.

I pull my head up to ascertain I'm not dreaming. Nope the building it's actually shaking slightly. If I didn't know any better I'd say a truck is passing nearby. Too bad there's no such a thing as trucks in this place. It's an earthquake? Hmm. It keeps going constantly for some time now…. It's probably nothing to be alarmed about but the honed instincts of a coward are nagging me in the back of my head.

Something's out of place.

I stand up and pull on a shirt, stealing a glance to my ready-to-go backpack. It never hurts to be safe. Finally decent I make my way to the main room of the house where Mishana is already looking out of a window, her back against the wall as she take a peek outside so that she can't be seen back.

"What's going on?" I ask with a tone of voice adequate for the sneaky situation while I take the other side of the window.

"Somebody is trying to get past my defensive wards," she tells with a normal tone of voice, offsetting me for a moment. "They are still outside. They can't hear us from there."

"Oh," I answer as I take a peek outside. Six figures clad in black kimonos and wearing a katana at their sides are trying to force the gates open. With little results it seems. "Friends of yours?" I ask.

She frowns. "No. I had thought they were here for you."

"I've made myself lots of enemy recently but no one that could follow me, you know, on this side. Not that I know of."

"So they are here for me. I haven't done anything to incur in the wrath of the Nakizachi clan as far as I can remember. In fact last I knew I was in good relationship with their clan leader."

"You know these guys?"

"They are a rather famous, or should I say infamous clan of swordsman. A branch family of another less shady clan that operates on both sides."

I ponder her words for a moment before realizing that, "They must have some kind of mystical ability to be able to come here right? What can this guys do?"

"They are similar to you. Their mystical power makes them faster and stronger than the average human," she explains.

"How good are them with those swords?"

"It depends, but they spend their life polishing their Kenjutsu. Assume them to be willing and capable to kill. Those people don't ask questions. They are enforcers."

"You look rather calm for someone under siege," I point out "Are you often attacked in the middle of the night?"

"More often than I'd like to admit, but it never happened since I asked their boss for protection. I too have my share of enemies, although I can't imagine at the drop of my hat what I could have done to piss them off."

"So why are they attacking you now? Why can't they get in? The gate doesn't look that sturdy," I point out.

"Don't let appearances fool you. My wards, not the gate, are keeping them out."

"Till the authorities arrives?"

She snorts at my hopeful question. "Don't count on it. The government and the law enforcement are strictly composed by magic-born native of this part of the world. As long as it's Magi against Magi they won't bother lifting a finger. You see how they treated me back at the inn. I'm allowed in here but I'm not a citizien."

"That's sick."

"No arguments from me, Ron," she say in a bored tone. She must really be used to this kind of treatment.

"Oh goody. Then what do we do?"

"We?" She asks and I just have to arch an eyebrow at the subtle implication of me leaving her behind and escaping on my own. She acknowledges my standing with a nod. "Right then. We should be able to leave them behind once they are inside. I want to speak with them before leavnig. If I have to flee from my house I want at least to know why. I don't recall doing something to piss off Boss Ookuchi to the point of sending his agents after me. "

"Your call but… won't they follow us?"

She smirks at me. "If I can keep them out for a time, I can also keep them inside. Take this and get ready." She throws a bundle at me and only thanks to my recently honed reflexes I catch it before it impacts with my face. I unfold it only to find my artificial arm, covered in the same pattern of tattoos as the rest of my body.

"What have you…?"

"I have laid out a few layers of siphoning seals on it. You should be able to use it in a mystically saturated area for a couple of hours before it fries. We should be on the other side by then. And speaking of seals…"

She puts both hands on her chest, murmuring something in a language that's definitely not Japanese. Her body shine for a moment and her frame under her nightdress is covered by the same pattern as my own, only more intricate.

"What did you just do?"

"I've undone the first layer of my seals. Should the need arise, and it will, I can use my power better than I could before."

"Cool," I say appreciatively. "I'll go get my stuff then." I spare her a glance as she walks to her room, just in time to catch a glimpse of her bare back as she discards her night robe on the ground. *_WHACK_* It was a fraction of second, a momentary distraction, but just enough to ram my nose into the closed door. "Oww, Dammit," I curse holding my nose and putting my mind back into gear. Pre-battle ogling is not good for my concentration.

Five minutes later I'm dressed and back in the living room with my backpack on my shoulders. The GP ARM is back on its designed place starting up with a soft noise. The seals Mishana has painted on it flashes for a moment before being seemingly absorbed by the metal. I give a it a couple of test while waiting for her to be ready. I don't have to wait long for her as the door to her rooms opens a couples of minutes later.

Once again I'm speechless in front of her figure.

She's now wearing a completely black outfit. Tight fitting trouser, a black blouse with a couple of buttons open and leather boots with a heel high enough to be feminine but not too high to be an hindrance if she has to run. No mistakes, I would break both my legs if I was to run with those on my feet, but she seems to possess a natural grace that makes it possible to use them without problems.

"You're gonna be all right with those on?" I ask referring to her choice in shoes.

"I could run a marathon with these boots. Don't worry about me. You on the other hand were rather quick to get your bearings together. Are you sure you haven't left anything behind?"

"Absolutely." I don't tell her that I already had most of my stuff packed in case I had to run for a reason or another. No need to advertise the perks of the paranoid course they hold at Yamanouchi. "Anything else I should know?"

"Yes. Your seals still have to be absorbed. You still can't use the Lotus Blade. Here, take this Nin-to. It's just a nameless blade but should the push come to shove it better than being unarmed."

She then turns to look outside of the window and her eyes widen as she takes a sharp breaths in.

I turn my gaze out of the window just I time to see a tall girl meeting the other guys. Everything about her screams odd. Not only for the fact that she's dressed in a green high school uniform in this place where everything is not from _my side_, but also for the color of her hair. Pure white. She exchanges words with the black-clad samurai. Her body language gives off that she's annoyed. The men steps back and she draws her sword in one motion to fast for my eye to follow.

There's a blinding flash and a tremor shakes the building again. The gates are open and the assailants storms inside fast on their feet. Footsteps on the stairs. Their aren't certainly trying to be inconspicuous.  
/_Well, duh! It would be a little late for subtlety at this point_./

The door is blasted open and the intruders storms the room with their katana unsheathed. They form a semicircle around us, obviously waiting for the white haired girl. The way she walks inside, the way she holds herself, her hand lazily resting on the hilt of her sword, everything about her demeanor speaks of leadership.

I don't know anything about these guys, but if six grown men acknowledge a girl much younger as their leader, then she's either someone important in their ranks or extremely skilled. Considering that she's the one who broke through Mishana's wards I'll go for the latter. Either way I need to watch myself out from her.

"_That was rather rude,_" Mishana comments in fluid Japanese. "_Coming inside my house uninvited, unannounced and without knocking. No manners at all_."

"_Silence. You have no right to speak of manners, you traitorous witch. A swift death is more courtesy than you deserve, Babylon no Majou."_

"_My, my. I haven't been called that in a long time. Where have you learned of that name child?"_

"_The dead need no knowledge," _she says with a snarl_. "Get her!" _She barks her command to her goons. The closest one steps forward with all the grace of a trained swordsman lifting his sword in preparation for a downward strike.

*_CLANG_*

His blade meets my own as I step in between him and Mishana.

_/Finally something some action for us. We are the main character here. Didn't you feel put aside this past couple of chapters?/_ The Jester speaks in my mind.

\What the hell are you talking about? We have no room for distraction.\

"_Tch," I snarl. "What kind of man raises his blade against an unarmed woman. Aren't you ashamed of yourself_?" I ask to the nameless thug #1. For all response he draw his blade back with false calmness just to strike back faster than before.

He's good. Too damn good. His movements are fast and smooth. They speaks of year of training in the art of the blade. Countless hours spent in polishing his skills. The results of his efforts are outstanding. And completely useless against me.

I admit that he's a great swordsman from what I can tell in my inexperience, but compared to my advanced awareness and perceptions he looks almost slow. I can tell where he's going to strike before he actually moves. It might sounds obvious but sparring against Sensei was on a whole different level and I managed to hold my ground against him back then. Compared to that, this guy's a joke. Then again maybe he isn't using his mystical abilities right now.

We trade a few blows, no he tries to hit me with no avail a couple of time before stepping back without dropping his guard. I'd better keep it up myself if I don't want to end up dead.

"_Tell your pet to step aside if he doesn't want to share your fate,_" the girls says. Pet, eh. I haven't been called that yet. I'll add that to the list later.

"_I'm standing right here you know,_" I tell her. "_If you've got something to say you can tell me directly._"

"_Move aside then. I have no reason to take your life as well, but you will not stand in the way of justice. Step aside now and I'll let you live._"

"_Justice? Justice you say?" _I snort. _"You lead a bunch of thugs to kill a woman in the middle of the night and you have the guts to speak of justice? I said and heard a lot of dumb shit in my life, but lady, you take the cake tonight."_

"_Ignorant fool. She's no mere woman. She's a witch that has killed countless of innocents. A monster that must be eradicated from this world."_ I incline my head to the left enough to look at Mishana without losing sight of her guests. Her stare meets my own but she say nothing. I turn back to the katana-girl.

"_Thanks for your concern but no. I think I will stay right here where I am._"

"_You seem to be a honorable man. It's a shame you've chosen to die,_" she says sounding almost regretful. "_Kill them both._"

The six swordsmen step forward, katana at the ready. I drop into a defense position and Mishana beside me does the same. She glances at me for a moment before looking at the window behind her. Message received. With a wave of her hand the glass explodes sending shards flying into the night.

"_Don't let them get away_," the girl screams but it's all for naught. By the time they take a step we are already jumping out of the window. Mishana mutters something while we're in midair. The building shines for a moment and out pursuers slams against an invisible wall where the window used to be, toppling backward inside the house. Neat trick.

"Why are we running? We could have taken them and we still don't know why they've attacked you," I tell her.

"No we couldn't. The six men yes, but not the girl. Not in our current conditions."

"What conditions? My powers are sealed but haven't you just unlocked yours?"

"Just the first layer. I'm nowhere close to full combat capacity. It will take a while before I can use my magic in combat."

"The first layer?" I ask. "How many of them do you have? How long does it takes to remove them?"

"I need to remove four others to be able to fight at full capacity. The release must be done at a set time from the previous."

"How long will it take?"

"Several hours. At least until dawn by a rough estimation."

"Damn. Why that long?"

"Safety," she responds shortly.

"Do you have a condition similar to my own then?" I ask imagining that she has to release the seals with measured timing in order not to explode in a show of blood nad gore.

"Not my safety, Ronald, but the one of those around me."

"Why do you have to speak in riddles? If you don't want to tell just say so,"

"I don't want to tell," she replies snappishly as we keep running through the empty streets. I can hear our pursuer footsteps not too far behind us. They have already freed themselves.

"See? It wasn't that difficult, was it? So what's the plan now?"

"We keep on running. I know of a place where we can hide for a while. If you want to stick with me that is. Your treatment is complete if still taking effect. You are no longer in need my services."

"Maybe so, but it appears you are in need of mine, for shabby as they are. My seals will fade long before yours. Once I can call upon the Blade things will be different."

"… Thanks. And sorry for being snappish. I'm just…" she trails off.

"Upset for what she said about you?" She nods.

We drop the conversation seeing that we are arrived back at the inn, the gate between this side and the other. We run inside and to the other exit, not a glance spared for the patrons or the bartender, only to emerge in the streets of everyday Kyoto. Normal, magicless Kyoto. From here it's an easy job to lose those guys in the intricate working of small streets with sharp corners.

"We should be safe for a while," Mishana says catching her breath.

"… How are they *ANF* going to track us?"

"Like I did with you. Scrying is pretty efficient especially if you are looking for someone specific. We need to keep on moving."

"Is there someplace we can hide were they can't scan us?"

"It's Scry not Scan, Ron, and yes I have a couple of safe houses here and there, warded against it," she explains as she resume walking.

"Cool. How are we going to get there?" I ask as I follow her.

"By walking. The Nakizachi are powerful on this side as well if least conspicuous. I'm quite sure that their agents will be on the lookout for us."

"Uh. How far is the place?"

"In a straight line…. Forty kilometers."

"… They are going to find us before we get there, " I point out

"Most probably, hopefully by then your seals will have faded and we'll be able to best them," she explains.

"Hopefully…"

"Hopefully," she repeats.

"For the records: I sooo don't like the sound of that."

* * *

Three hours later and a lot of road behind us we are resting under the trees of a forest near the city. I'm not sure how far her safe house still is but there's no way we'll get there before dawn. I wanted to contact Yamanouchi but I have no way to do that except going there on person. Besides this sitch has nothing to do with them. I'm not sure how they would take a request for help.

For the last hour Mishana and I didn't exchange a word. I asked her a few questions about her abilities but she dodged most of them or been very vague about her answers. There's something troubling her and it's not the people chasing her.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, resting in the darkness a few feet away from me. Despite the full moon the foliage stops most of the light, making it hard to see.

"You are unnerving me," she answers.

"I' m unnerving you? How? Is it because I keep asking you questions?"

"No, I… All right, enough with the games. Why didn't you ask me if what that girl said about me it's true?"

"You mean about you killing lots of people? Why would I? I know it's true."

Silence. Neither of us says anything. On her part I guess it's because she's too surprised to say anything.

"You… know it's true? How?"

"You all but said it yourself," I point out.

"I haven't…" she begins, but I cut her off.

"You haven't denied what she said for one, and for what little I know about you, you aren't the kind of person to take that shit without even dismissing it if it wasn't true. Plus, when she said that you had this look of guilt on your face that confirmed it all," I explain her.

"Then why? Why are you helping me out? You don't look like a person to stick up with a murderer," I can imagine her eyes narrowing at me as she says this. I shrug although she probably can't see it.

"Listen Mishana, I have no idea what happened and why, but I honestly don't care about the so called Justice of a group that attacks a lone woman in the middle of the night. You gave me no reason thus far to think badly of you while they did as soon as I've met them. With that in mind picking a side was the easy job."

"Is that enough of a reason to risk your life for me?"

"Meh. I've risked my life for less in the past and got nothing for it. I might have gained some sense in the past months by I've got even a little insanity as well. Never mind that. It's only what I feel I should do in this situation. Besides, whatever is that you've done is clearly already troubling you."

"… True. I'm already serving my sentence in a way…"

"So, are we kosher now?"

She laughs softly into the night. "We are. Thanks Ronald."

"Don't mention it. I still have to repay you for your job and what you've taught me about my power."

"You know that your Sensei already took care of that…" she points out.

"So he did."

… Silence again.

"You can be truly insufferable, you know?" she says once It's clear that I'm not going to say anything else about that subject.

"I know," I answer before changing the subject. "We should get moving. The longer we stay in one place the easier is for them to find us."

On cue with my words someone steps within the boundaries of my perception. It's coming closer at a very fast pace, despite the uneven ground, straight in our direction.

"They're here," Mishana says. Apparently she has an advanced Awareness as well.

"_Indeed_," the hostile white haired female speaks as she steps outside out the darkness and into the relative light of the clearing. "_You led us through quite a goose chase. But it all ends now. Justice will be served without further delays_"

"_Geez, Lady. Cut off the drama, would you please?_" I say, letting the Jester take control.

"_Silence, Outsider. This has nothing to do with you_,"

"_Oooh, you've got it all wrong, Drama Queen. If you think you think I'm going to step aside and let you kill a friend of mine over something as vague as your Justice, you've got another thing coming. Self-righteous, hypocritical pricks like you always get on my nerves._"

"_You know nothing! She has tried to kill my father._"

Silence. The creature of the forest have gone into hiding. The sheer hatred coming from her voice must have sent everything running for shelter. It's a brief moment though as the silence is broken by the voice of surprise.

"_What? Boss Ookuchi is dead?_"

I've been pretty much a gullible guy most of my life. Only recently I woke up and learned to tell truths and lies apart. A legacy of my lost naivety I suppose. Granted I can still be deceived like any other human being, but the sound of surprise in her voice rings too true to be faked.

"_He's barely alive no thanks to you, witch. We are barely holding the poison in his blood at bay. His death is a matter of time,_" she growls.

"_Why is that you are so convinced that it was me? I haven't left Hinori no Roji in a long while now. I neither had the reason nor the means to assassinate him."_

"_Oh, we know it wasn't actually you who tried to pierce his heart but the handiwork had your signature all over it. The assassin was under a powerful suggestion and the blade he used was enchanted to pass unnoticed through our defenses. That level of magecraft cannot be found easily nowadays and the dagger had your signature over it._"

"_Nonsense. I haven't enchanted a weapon since…"_ Then Mishana seems to realize something and her eyes widen_. "Oh dammit."_

"_So it was you after all. Kill them. Avenge Boss Ookuchi."_

"_No, wait. I…,"_

But her words fall on deaf ears. Sixteen armed men storms the clearing. Too many for me to fight by myself. Mishana can take care of herself but there's no way we can overcome this many opponents. The first guy's on me in a moment and by his speed I can tell that he's on a whole different level than the one that I've fought back at Mishana's place. I've barely managed to parry a downward strike that a punch catches me in the stomach. Maybe it's instinct, maybe it's the training I've being doing lately, but I manage to push myself backward reducing the strength of the impact. Still his punch sends me flying back several feet. Is this the power of his enhancements? If these guys are all like this there's no way I can top them all even with the Power of Cowardice. Heck even the Lotus Blade might not be enough to get away with my life this time.

Mishana puts her back against mine as the group surrounds us. There's no way and nowhere to escape now.

The white haired girl smile is feral as she too unsheathes her sword. "_This is where it ends._"

The swordsmen close the distance and as the moon reflects on their blades I can't ignore the thought that this time I'm really fucked.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Here's another chapter. In all honesty I hate this one. I rewrote it five times at the very least and I'm not satisfied with the end result. I wanted to introduce a new foe but I think I did a rather poor job of it. Hopefully things will straighten out in the coming chapters. Hopefully I should keep a weekly or bi-weekly update rate depending on the length of the chapter. I'm trying to give all my stories except those on hold enough attention to keep them interesting.

As usual let me know what you readers think. I value your opinion a lot.

PS: My beta is still indisposed due to some personal real life problems so I apologize before hand for eventual mistakes I might (surely) have done.

That's all for the time being. See ya!


	66. Resolve

**Chapter 40 - Resolve (published: 01.11.2012 - beta: none)**

* * *

We are surrounded. These swordsmen are both fast and skilled. With the advantage of numbers there's no way we can get out of this mess alive unless they decide to. However, if the look in the with haired girl's eyes is any indication, there isn't the slightest chance of that. She wants blood. Our blood. Too bad neither of us is willing to partake from it.

Luckily I'm not alone in this. Mishana is right behind me, her tense shoulders firmly against mine. Perhaps it might sound odd but that feeling of tension puts me a little more at ease.

Why? Because she is tense but she lacks every sign of fear or resignation for that matter. She can and will fight knowing full well that we can get out of this.

"Mishana..." I whisper. "I'm ready, on your signal." Her shoulders tense even more at my words but she doesn't dismiss my assumption either. It's surprising how good I became in reading body language since my eyes got figuratively opened.

Sadly, I'm not the only one capable of doing that.

"_They are up to something. Finish them now!"_ The girl shouts at her underlings and, for a moment, I think that our window of escape is already gone. Fortunately Mishana is more confident than I am.

I feel something running against my skin where her shoulders meet mine. It's something akin to an electrical current. It's strong, but not enough to make me step away.

Something _breaks_… I can't define it differently, and whatever it is, the sudden snapping sensation reverberating through me from where my body meets hers, it inside her.

The air around us reverberates, distorting what little I can see in this darkness. It's like a mirage brought by heat over the asphalt, in the middle of a summer afternoon. The paragon is more accurate than I've originally thought. Heat passes though my body, progressively more intense as it moves from my back to my chest.

In my adrenaline induced state I see it happen in slow motion.

The relatively quiet air of the forest at night explodes in a loud boom, accompanied by a wave of heat expanding around us and with us as a center.

The swordsmen that were closing in on us just a moment before are sent flying away, their clothes burning in some places. The trees behind them aren't as lucky as they catch fire as if struck by lightning. The heat wave expands well beyond them, in spite of what little I know of physics, burning down everything around us with more even more fury as it widens, instead of losing power as it expands.

It all took less than a second from the moment I felt the first telltale of Mishana's power activating to the realization of the blazing inferno now burning around us.

"What the fuck?" A voice snaps me out of my shock. Only a moment later I realize it was my own.

I don't have further time to contemplate the absurdity of what I'm seeing that Mishana weight shifts downward. Awkwardly I turn around trying not to let her fall on the ground without cushioning her at least a little. I already knew that whatever she did it also hurt her somehow, but I didn't expect that level of damage.

"BLAAAGH!" A red flood spills from her mouth, as she bends forward, pointlessly trying to keep the life fluid inside her by placing her hands on her mouth.

"Oh shit! Mishana!" I catch her before she completely falls down, ignoring the blood staining her clothes as well as mine. No time to be grossed about minor stuff. "Hang in there!"

She pushes me away, giving me a confident if pained look.

"It's nothing," she whispers weakly.

"It's not nothing! We must.."

"Move right now or these injuries will be pointless," she correctly points out. Those guys are getting back on their feet and the fire getting wilder is going to make things harder. Her injuries worry me but if we stay we are going to die for certain.

I scoop her in my arms bridal style and dart in the direction that seems less affected by the flames. It's not the way we are supposed to go in order to reach her hiding spot but we have no chance now to follow that path.

"I can walk," she says weakly.

"Too bad we've got to run instead, uh?" I joke her protests away, even if my sense of humor is laced with tension and worry.

"That's not what I…"

"I know! Shut up! Save your strength! I'll get you out of this mess, I swear."

I didn't hear her reply if she said any. My fatigued breathing and my pounding heart are the only thing I can hear over the raging flames. Breathing is difficult between the smoke, the heat and the effort of carrying her relatively small weight. I would have collapsed long ago if it wasn't for my training in the past month and a half and this feeling of rage burning inside me, as hot as the flames around us.

She got hurt.

She got hurt because I wasn't strong enough, fast enough, and smart enough.

By a logical standpoint I know I shouldn't feel like this. I knew her for a short period of time. Too little to call what we have a real friendship, but I'm not a logical kind of guy. I longed for friendship and recognition for so long that I now cling to every thread of positive relationship like a lifeline. I don't care if I'm just a patient to her. I don't even mind if after all this mess it's settled we won't see each other ever again.

I care for her.

_/Run faster!/_

_\Move faster!\_

**- We must protect her -**

Resolve floods our joined minds, overcoming anything else. The melding is so smooth that we… I almost don't notice it happening. Newfound strength fills my body and I push forward even faster.

After what feels like an endless time I managed to leave the spreading fire behind us, but I can't stop now, not as the sound of the burning trees is no longer covering the footsteps of our pursuers. Damn stubborn bastards! Why won't they just...OH SHIT!

Wide eyed I skid to a halt. I thought I stepped out of the woods and into a rocky clearing of sort. It's only thanks to my above average reflexes that I didn't keep running over the edge of a cliff. Shit! No way forward. I have to go back a little and…

"_End of the run," _the female voice behind us sentences. Isn't she even short on breath? What the hell is thisgirl?

I turn around to look at her. To look at them. Only seven of the original twelve swordsmen managed to follow us. They are wounded, except for the girl, and more than a little fatigued. However they are more pissed than before and I have the sneaky suspicion that any thought of a potential act of mercy on their part is now long gone.

Bright side… well…. I'm way more pissed than they are, and a pissed Ron Stoppable is the main ingredient for a disaster.

"_You managed to give us a hard time, stranger. I commend you. Your misplaced loyalty and your efforts have gained you an honorable death. Surrender the witch to us and we will make it as swift and painless as possible."_

Call me ungrateful if you like, but her generous proposal is not of my liking. What can I say? I like living.

"_What's your name, Snow Lady?" _ I ask her. She cocks an eyebrow, realizing only now that she has not yet introduced herself.

"_My apologies. It is indeed my shame not to have introduced myself earlier. I am the daughter of Ookuchi Nakizachi, leader of the Nakizachi clan. Nakizachi Yukiko is the name of the warrior that will claim your life."_

"_Very well, Nakizachi Yukiko-san_. _I am Stoppable Ronald." _I introduce myself formally as I have been taught to do. Her eyes as well as her underlings' widen in recognition of my name.

I step back, toward the edge of the cliff.

"Ronald?" Mishana whispers weakly in my ear as I shift her weight in order to hold her only with my real arm. Instinctively she pulls her arms around my neck, understanding what's about to happen.

"I' m not going to let them hurt you anymore," I reply her unspoken question. My voice reverberates deeper than I have ever heard before, fully conveying my resolve to keep her safe. She just nods in the crook of my neck. Accepting her trust I return my attention to the Nakizachi girl.

"_By hurting my friend you've made an enemy out of me tonight, Nakizachi-san," _I take another step back. _"If I ever see you again, I will make you regret it."_

"_Bold words for a doomed man. Do you plan to haunt me after your death, perhaps?" _ She taunts.

"_I'm not going to die tonight, and certainly not by your hands." _Another step closer to the edge. "_ Mark my words Nakizachi-san. You will regret this."_

"_Wait!" _She shouts stepping forward, realizing what I'm about to do. _"You are insane if you think you are going to survive the fall."_

"_Newsflash, lady. That's exactly what I am. Ta-ta," _I reply with a grin so wide and malicious that she takes a step back out of reflex. Without waiting for another word from her I take a last step back and then leap over the edge, never removing my gaze form the girl in front of me, until the distance and the darkness of the night hides her from my sight.

* * *

Mishana doesn't scream, but that wouldn't be like her anyway. The proof of her trust in me is the lack of any reaction to the feeling of freefalling. She doesn't even tense her hold around my neck as gravity accelerates us toward an impending death.

I'm not going to fail her expectations another time.

Stretching the arm Vivian made for me above my head I give a specific jerk with my wrist, activating for the first time the hidden grappling gun inside it. With a dull bang it shoots out, embedding itself in the rocks above me. To my great relief I might add. I wasn't sure if it was strong enough to pierce a rock wall. Vivian is going to get a hell of a souvenir for this.

Sadly, the rock wasn't right above me, so the pull of the rope changed the downward momentum into an arc, slamming my body against the rocks. I turned just in time to shield Mishana defenseless from the impact, but that means I've took the whole damage of both our masses.

"UGH!" It's all I have to say in relation to this new experience. Well, that's not exactly true. To be honest I'd have to say lots of colorful words. So colorful that I'd have to wash my mouth with soap afterwards, and I'm not stranger to cursing so do your math. I'm not looking forward for the experience, and beside I need to save all the breath I have for what's about to come.

Vivian's work saved our lives for the time being, but the situation isn't peachy by any stretch of the imagination. I'm at the end of my rope here. Literally. The length of cable inside my arm isn't unlimited and now that I have reached the end of it I'm not seeing the bottom of this pit. The sound of running water beneath us tells me we are probably above a river, a considerably big one judging by the noise it makes.

Perhaps jumping down here wasn't a great idea.

_/Well, duh! It wasn't even an idea, idiot. It was the only option we had save of impaling ourselves on those sharp looking blades./_

\Still, the sitch sucks epically. Any idea how to get out of this mess?\

_/If I had any idea you'd have it too. Same brain remember? Although sometime I wonder if that's really the case./_

\Ah ah. Got enough fun at my expenses yet? If you didn't notice we are literally hanging by a thread.\

_/Ah! Good point. But it's not like we have many other options here./_

\Which is a recurring theme lately. Whatcha say? Fancy a leap in the dark?\

_/Been there, done that. Bring it Buffoon. We might as well get it over with./_

Another flick of my wrist, which wouldn't be possible if it was actually part of my arm, and with a click the rope is cut, abandoning out bodies to the power of gravity again, hoping with all I have that I hit the water and not splatter myself on the rocks.

Karma finally pays off, counter-balancing the seemingly constant streak of bad luck and general shit of the past few days.

Still far from a pleasant experience, our bodies hit the water in painful relief. The stream is strong and I have to hold on Mishana with all I have else I lose her. Thankfully I'm not too far of the river and the flow pushes us in that direction any way.

With heavy steps I drag the both of us out of the water, and after carefully laying Mishana on the ground and checking her vitals, I allow myself to catch some breath.

That was fucking intense.

"You are not so smooth at rescuing damsels in distress, are you?" Mishana finally speaks after a long silence.

"I didn't…" Insert pause for breathing. "I didn't know that… it was something… one could do smoothly."

"...Ronald… thanks."

"Meh. Let's call it even and let's leave it at that."

"…"

"How are you feeling? What happened up there?" I ask changing the topic.

"Forced my spell through the seals," she explains. "The backlash ruptured my stomach."

"WHA…"

" I'm already healing, so relax. I'll be up and about in a few hours. In the meantime, would you mind carrying me a little while longer? I'm afraid that despite my best intentions and all my boasting I can't walk by myself without slowing us down considerably."

"Looks like you were thinking I was going to let you do any different. Come on, show me the way."

* * *

Two hours of piggyback ride later and we reached the place of Mishana sage house. Too bad all I can see is a damn oak tree a few hundred meters away from the river. And nothing else.

"Tell me I'm missing something here," I plead, hoping with all my might that we aren't going to spend the night soaked to the bones on a tree branch. I can't interpret the meaning behind Mishana's chuckle.

"Yes, yes you are," she answers. "Listen closely: **Mishana's safe house number 3 is by the old oak near the third turn of the river."**

"What's that supposed to mean? There's absolutely… nothing… there?"

As her words sunk into my mind the space in front of me seems to unfold and a small Japanese style house pops out of nowhere, growing bigger in size as if coming from afar and getting closer by the second. A relatively loud clack snaps me out of my stupor, and I realize that the sound was made by my jaws being pushed closed by Mishana's finger.

"I'm never going to get used to this magic stuff," I comment drily. "What the hell was that anyway?"

"It a long lost spell to hide places by bending space and hiding the key inside a person's soul."

"So… by telling me about it you unbent it?"

"No silly. If I did that anyone could reach it. By giving the secret to you I've bent in the same way as the house, so now you can see and interact with it," she explains.

"Uh. Now I know how a spoon feels sometimes."

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind, movie reference," I explain in turn, still shaking my head in utter disbelief at the casual display of her abilities.

"How about we get inside and get ourselves something dry to wear?"

"All right. Let's see just how deep the rabbit hole goes."

"What? Lewis Carrol now?"

"Nope. Wachowski brothers."

"Who? I'm not following you."

"Ah. It's really simple actually. It all starts with a question. What is reality?"

* * *

After messing with her head a little more _/serves her right/_ as we changed in something dry and warm, we sat by the fire in the middle of the only room there is. Well I sat. I forced Mishana to stay inside her futon until her wounds recovered. Magic is some serious double edged sword for what I gather. Once the seals are gone and this whole mess has blown over I'll ask Mishana to teach me a few things so that I don't blow myself up when I'll use mine.

She sleeping now and I plan to let her do just that. Based on what she told me, the protection around this house are going to hold for at least twelve hours before we have to leave. I'm not sure exactly why. She explained it as a lack of trust between the one who holds the secret and the peoples inside the location, but I'm not sure I've got it right. Anyway twelve hours should be more than enough for the both of us to get back in shape. After that I'll try to get in touch with Yamanouchi and ask from help. I can't handle this situation by myself.

Knowing that I'm safe, at least for some time, and with Mishana sleeping peacefully in her futon, I allow myself to fall asleep for a little while.

* * *

A little while my ass.

When I open my eye the sun is already high in the sky. It must be late in the morning. Immediately I scan for the sleeping Mishana, but the only thing I find is her empty futon.

The last remnants of sleep are washed away by my increasing heart rate. Where is she? Did she leave? Did somebody sneak inside tonight when I was out cold? Normally that shouldn't be possible, but I was literally knocked out. I don't see any sign of struggle, but I know more than enough trained assassins capable of killing in silence and drag out the body without making a noise.

Ignoring the pain in my legs from sleeping in a seated position all night I stand up and dart out of the only room in search for the missing woman.

The sun's bright outside and I need to shield my eye and adjust my sight before proceeding further.

She's not in sight and there's nothing around here that could hide her.

Unable to track her with my eye I shut down all unneeded senses and focus on the others, expanding my awareness to its utmost limits. Ten meters. Twenty meters. Fifty meters. One hundred meters. She's not – FOUND HER!

At least I think it's her. The only thing I detected is a presence, most likely human, nearby the river, down the slope that hides it from sight.

I take the shortest path by jumping down the slope, skidding in attempt to keep my balance. When I'm close enough I jump straight behind the rocks where my Awareness still perceive her presence, ready to face whatever dreadful scenario is waiting for me.

…Or perhaps not.

"MISHANA! Are you all… UGH!" I freeze on the spot, as if a new ice age has struck all of a sudden. "Uh! Ah! Erg!" I argument intelligently as my only eye burns forever in my mind the sight in front of me.

She's a little startled by my sudden appearance, but not nearly as shocked as I am. Her arms are crossed defensively around her naked chest, not to hide her figure, but ready to take on whatever threat she thought I was.

It takes a second for her to realize what's happening. Her expression morphs from frowning to perplexed and then to outright amused. She moves her arms away from her breast, exposing her nudity an even more, placing her hands on her hips, cocked sideway in a pose that clearly state her lack of embarrassment.

"Like what you see, Ronald?" She asks. Her tone is too amused to pass as seductive. Not that she needs to put emphasis on her voice. Not that I could care at the present time.

"Erk!" I answer smartly. My ability to formulate sentence is drifting south of my body with a great deal of my blood. Surprisingly there seem to be still enough of it set my face ablaze.

"Aw. You don't need to be so embarrassed," she says closing the distance as if being naked in front of me didn't mean anything.

"Urk!" I agree wholeheartedly. Maybe. I'm not too sure of what I'm thinking right now. If I'm even thinking at all.

"What? You don't find me attractive?" She asks with a pout on her face, now mere inches from mine. "What a shame. We could have had fun together."

_/Critical system failure. Rebooting in 3… 2… 1.../ _ A voice inside my head states in a computer-like voice. It's the last thing I know before finally blanking out.

* * *

When I come to my sense I'm on the riverside with my head cradled in Mishana soft lap.

…!

I jump away from my laying position like a coiled spring when the last thing I remember replay itself inside my mind. Is she…? No, thank fully she dressed. Whew.

Her chuckle rings through the air. "Oh Ronald. You should have seen you face. Absolutely priceless."

Instead of being pissed at her for having fun at my expenses a sense of utter shames dawns upon me.

"I'm sorry," I apologize sincerely bowing my head. "I didn't mean to stare.. I just… ." I mumble incoherently, unable to find the words. She might be all right with it but doesn't make what happened any better. She looks surprised at my discomfort for a moment but then she shakes her head dismissively.

"It's ok Ron," she answers now completely serious. "I have to apologize too for making fun of you. I shouldn't have teased you like that. Sorry."

"So... we ok?"

"Of course we are."

"That's a relief. Otherwise I don't think I could do this with the same spirit."

She inclines her head to the side, not understanding what I'm talking about. I take a deep breath and then...

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" I shout so loud that the birds on the trees nearby fly away from their hiding spots.

"Ronald?"

"Don't 'Ronald' me. What was the bright idea of disappearing while I was sleeping? What would have happened if somebody with less than friendly intentions found you there by yourself?"

"I think that I can take care of myself pretty well, thank you very much," she replies coldly, offended by my words.

"I don't doubt it, but that's not the point."

"No? Then please, enlighten me, what exactly is the point?"

"I WAS SCARED FOR YOU. DAMN YOU!"

An awkward silence falls between us after the last echo of my shout fades away. She looks at me with her mouth slightly agape, surprised by my outburst or maybe by the reason for it. She turns her gaze downward, properly chastised, and I already feel bad for snapping at her.

"I'm sorry," we speak at the same time and then we broke out laughing. It's a relieved kind of laugh that makes me realize exactly how tense I've been in the past hours. Neither of us has any intention to stop, so we enjoy this wave as long as it last.

Surprisingly I'm the first to regain control of my breathing.

"Really, I'm sorry. I know that you can watch after yourself, especially now that your seals are gone, it just... Last time I saw you, you could barely stand and when I opened my eyes next you weren't there. I think I freaked out badly."

"It's okay. It was my fault," she replies as she comes down from her burst of laughter. I didn't think how you could feel if you woke up without knowing where I went. You must have assumed the worst."

"Actually I did. It didn't even cross my mind that you could have left by yourself. Otherwise I would have probably guessed what you were doing by the water. Sorry about that."

"... Don't apologize any more. Whatever mistake you might have done it was in reaction to mine, and out of concern for my well being. I'm not... used to having people worrying about me. It's a novel experience to me."

Again we both fall silent, this time for a prolonged period of time until I decide to end this awkward moment by slamming my hands together in a loud clap. She almost jumps from her seated position at the sudden noise.

"All right. Enough with this stuff. We both made a mistake. I'd say that 'live and learn' is what we should do." She seems to ponder my words and then nod in response.

* * *

"You know, Ron?" She begins as we walk back to the safe house after spending some more time by the river, taking the chance to wash myself as well. "You remind me of someone I knew once."

"Who? A boyfriend perhaps?" I joke lightheartedly, not expecting the following answer.

"Hm. A lover would be more correct," she replies evenly, and I have to focus to keep a blush at bay, picturing myself as her lover. Bad Ronald.

"H-how so?"

"He was... similar to you in a way. Well, actually he was lot more serious and not that prone to silly jokes like you are, although he had a good sense of humor now that i think about it. No, I'm talking about is way of his way of caring for other people indiscriminately. He was about your age when I first met him. He stood by me when nobody else did and got himself in a great deal of troubles for his efforts. Now that I think about it I never thanked him for that."

"What happened to him?" I ask with caution.

"We... took different paths later on. He had his duties to take care of and I was... with my own things to deal with. I haven't seen him in a long time. Don't feel sad. When we got together we both knew it wouldn't last and I don't regret the little time I had with him. Regardless, that's not the point. Live and learn you said before and you were right. I'm not going to make the same mistake I did in the past, so allow me to express my gratitude while it's still the proper time for me to do so. Thank you Ronald."

Her voice is so sincere, so imbued with raw emotion that I have a hard time not to turn my head away in embarrassment.

"You... thanked me already yesterday. I thought we called it even then."

"That was for helping me, Ronald. This is because you care for me."

"Isn't.." I swallow the knot in my throat, "Isn't that the same thing?" Obviously not in her opinion, but I still have to ask. I need to understand.

"No, Ron. It's not the same thing. People might help others out of duty, a sense of obligation or their own sense of justice. And while that might also apply to you, in your case you went out of your way because you genuinely care for me. That's the mistake I made in the past and it's the only thing I ever came to regret of that time. So, once again, thank you Ronald.

I should say something. Dismiss her seriousness somehow. It was nothing. Really.

_/But it's not the same for her/_

That's right. Dismissing her gratitude would be worse than an insult. And with that knowledge there's only one thing I can possibly say.

"You're welcome."

Three words.  
Nothing fancy.  
A seemingly meaningless gesture that holds a deeper meaning than one could imagine at first. Mishana smile at me, standing a little more upright than before as if a great weight has just been removed from her shoulders.

As we return to the relative safety of her house in comfortable silence I can't help but wonder what kind of weight those shoulders must bear, if something so granted like a 'You're welcome" is enough to lift her spirit.

Somehow, I have the feeling I'm going to find out before this whole mess is blown over.

For better or worse.

* * *

Author Notes: All right! Two weeks since the last update. Not half bad, if I can say so myself.

About this chapter: Ron and Mishana are growing closer the more the situation worsen. They are safe for the time being but things are going to escalate to epic proportions real soon. Make sure to hang around to read it.

As usual I'm waiting for your reviews so don't hold back, all right?

Till next time.


	67. Blackness

AN: Warning This chapter contains explicit gory contents later on. Read at your own risk.

**Chapter 41 – Blackness – (Published: 03.18.12 – Edit: None)**

* * *

We are alive and mostly unhurt. Wounds are in the process of healing and for the time being we have lost our pursuers. It's not bad as it could be but It's not even as good as it should.

"Why the hell this seal hasn't faded yet?" I ask Mishana as she examines my body. "It's been over twenty four hours now. Shouldn't it have gone a long time ago?"

"Yes, it should. My best estimate is that something is pushing against the restraints, making it more difficult for your system to integrate with the sealing designation."

"You mean Legacy?"

"No. For what I can tell from my analysis of your Circuits, Legacy lives on the unused energy within your body. The energy buildup is an secondary effect of his attempts of storing it for later use. No, I would rather blame your current predicament on the Lotus Blade."

"The Lotus Blade? How can she influence me? I mean… I don't have her with me."

"The way you are addressing _her _actually reinforces my opinion," she observes tapping her chin. "The Lotus Blade is sentient, isn't it? Isn't she?"

"Caught up on that, did you? Yes, she's sentient. So? It's not like I have it here with me."

"Space is… a relative concept when dealing with the mystical. There's a connection between you and her that she doesn't want rescinded. Not that it could be rescinded in the first place. She must have felt the seal taking hold and she's trying to get to you. This pressure against the seal is making the absorption slower because it's working on two fronts."

"Wow," I breath in awe, making her smirk. " I actually understood all of that," I added, making her smirk disappear. "So when is this seal going to disappear, then?"

"Well, considering how much has been absorbed in the past day, I'd say…. roughly one hundred and twenty years. Give it or take a couple of years."

"SAY WHAT?" I shout. That's major setback. No, scratch that. It's major pain in the ass.

"We are alive and mostly unhurt. Wounds are in the process of healing and, for the time being, we've lost our pursuers. It's not bad as it could be but It's not even as good as it should.

"Why the hell this seal hasn't faded yet?" I ask Mishana as she examines my body. "It's been over twenty four hours now. Shouldn't it have gone a long time ago?"

"Yes, it should," she admits. "My best estimate is that something is pushing against the restraints, making it more difficult for your system to integrate with the sealing designation."

"You mean Legacy?"

"No, I don't think that's the reason. For what I can tell from my analysis of your Circuits, Legacy lives on the unused energy within your body. The energy buildup you have been suffering is an secondary effect of his attempts of storing it for later use. No, I would rather blame your current predicament on the Lotus Blade."

"The Lotus Blade? How can she influence me? I mean… I don't have her with me."

"The way you are addressing _her _actually reinforces my opinion," she observes tapping her chin. "The Lotus Blade is sentient, isn't it? Isn't she?"

"Caught up on that, did you? Yes, she's sentient. So? It's not like I have it here with me."

"Space is… a relative concept when dealing with the mystical side of the world. There's a connection between you and her that she doesn't want rescinded. Not that it could be rescinded in the first place. She must have felt the seal taking hold and she's trying to get to you. The pressure she's putting against the seal is making the absorption rate slower because it's working on two fronts."

"Wow," I breath in awe, making her smirk. "I actually understood all of that," I added, making her smirk disappear. "So when is this seal going to disappear, then?"

"Well, considering how much has been absorbed in the past day, I'd say…. roughly one hundred and twenty years. Give it or take a couple of years."

"SAY WHAT?" I shout. That's major setback. No, scratch that. It's major pain in the ass.

"Unless we reunite the Blade and you so that she stops trying to force her way through to you," she add with a bored tone as if it was just a side note in the drama that is my life lately.

"You saved that part for last cause you wanted see me panic, right?" She answers by nodding vigorously, clearly enjoying my distress. It's in moment like this that I could swear Shego and her must have been friends at some point in their lives. Why is that every woman my life is having fun at my expenses?

_/Cause it's too damn easy./  
_\Thanks. I just needed to hear that from myself too of all people\

"Aw. Don't be such a crybaby," Mishana butts in our -my inner conversation. I always forget she can do that. "A man that can make a woman laugh is highly sought," she adds almost like a consolation patting my head.

"Not if he's the subject of said laughter. Trust me. I'd know." Sigh. "Whatever. The next logical step at this point is for me to return to Yamanouchi," the mention of the school makes her cringe. "What?"

"I would rather not go… there."

"Do I even wanna know?" I ask, catching up with her distress.

"No you probably don't," she rubs the bridge of her nose. "Never mind. It's not like I can't at least accompany you there."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. You don't need my help anymore now that your seal is gone," I say before adding, "If what you did back in the forest yesterday is any indication."

"No, you are right. I don't need your protection anymore now. Even if they manage to find me again I can deal with nearly everything they can throw at me and they know it. You on the other hand are not so lucky."

"Me? What do I have to do with anything?"

"Well, you have clearly make your allegiance known last night," she points out grimly. It's all I need to understand where she's getting to.

"So if they can get to you directly they will go after your closest known ally. Oh this is just great."

"No good deed goes unpunished," she comments ironically; half amused, half guilty over the sudden turn of the table in my disfavor.

"No. No, it doesn't. Isn't Karma supposed to work the other way around? You know… positive brings positive and negative brings negative?"

"It should. But you know what they say about lady Karma, don't you?"

"That bitch."

* * *

_Concluding that the situation wasn't going to improve by cursing the circumstances /a pity, really/ we set ourselves to get ready to travel to Yamanouchi. We left the house a little afternoon before the protection around the house faded._

_This time, instead of avoiding majorly populated areas, we headed to the closest settlement and took a train from there, reasoning that we would hardly be attacked by katana wielding psychos in the middle of the day in front of too many witnesses._

_Keeping the location of Yamanouchi a secret wasn't an issue either. We would be away from all civilization long before reaching the gates of the school and, in that part of our trip devoid of life, spotting and dealing with any pursuer would be an easy job._

_It was a sound plan. Foolproof I daresay._

_Well, we all know how well those work in my case, don't we?_

* * *

"I have a bad feeling about this," I tell Mishana, seated to my right in bus, void of life save for us and the driver.

"You noticed? This isn't normal. I knew they wouldn't attack us in the middle of the day but this…"

"Yes. I expected at least a couple of people here and there to keep track of us. Do you think they are using.. you know… magic?"

"No. It's not feasible for an extended period of time. Twice a day is the most a good seer could do. No… this is more like… they totally gave up on me."

"Which is not something they would do," I say. "Not after last night. What do you think is the reason?"

"The only thing that would make sense is if something bigger came up all of a sudden," she explains with a pondering look.

"Something bigger than catching the presumed murderer of the clan's head? What could that be?"

"It would have to be something that jeopardizes the clan as a whole. Something…," her eyes widen in realization as her words trail off. "It makes sense. Of course I should have seen it right away. What an idiot I've been."

"What? What did I miss?"

"Don't you see? Boss Ookuchi assassination. Me being framed and hunted for it. The best warriors of the clan out to get me and getting badly wounded in the process…"

"Oh. It was all just a fucking diversion. And now the Nakizachi must have bigger problems to deal with, if whoever did this used the Boss' death as a mere distraction. Who could have done all this and why?"

"I'm don't know all the enemies of the Nakizachi so I can't even begin to imagine who," she admits. "As for the reasons, well… what could one want from his enemies when murdering is but a step to a goal?"

"Annihilation…" I whisper. I can't say I'm sad for whatever they are going through after what they tried to do to us, but that doesn't mean I wanted them dead.

"That or something even worse. This kind of action hardly even involves just one clan."

"Well. On the bright side this keeps them off our backs. We are safe now."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Whoever started this must have thought things through. These kind people aren't the type to leave any loose end."

"So," I begin as I feel another headache coming my way. "To sum things up we might still have someone after our lives, but this time we don't even know who it is. Correct?"

"I'm afraid that's quite an accurate assumption."

"Well, fuck!"

"That too."

* * *

The bus reaches an halt in the middle of nowhere, which is the closest stop to Yamanouchi. From here it's all legs work to reach the school. Like predicted no one followed us. Something reassuring and scary at the same time. On the bright side we gained some respite, on the bad side this might be the proverbial calm before the storm. The trend of the past few weeks doesn't really make me hope for a favorable outcome. I've learned the hard way that bad shit usually brings more bad shit.

* * *

_I knew that the worst had still to come. I knew it and I prepared myself mentally withstand whatever would come our way._

_I thought I had a vague idea on how bad things could get. I was ready for the worst case scenario. Heck I was even ready to get killed at that point. I didn't like it but I knew it could happen. I made my peace with death a long time ago, even before the Diablo sitch. _

_Not that I was suicidal or anything, though you might wanna argue with that seeing how I spent a great part of my free time. I wanted to live just like the next guy. I simply realized, when I began following Kim through her exploits, that not returning back home was a very likely outcome._

_I had lots of close brushes with the Grim Reaper throughout the years, to the point that I became somewhat desensitized to it so long as it wasn't truly imminent, at which point I began to freak out badly, but you can hardly blame anyone for that._

_So yeah, as sick as it sounds the idea of my own death didn't really bother me that much. I've been close to it and lived to tell the tale. Heck, I've practically died and came back once._

_So that would make the worst case scenario somewhat manageable, right?_

_Wrong. You'll come to realize, if you live long enough that is, that the worst case scenario isn't necessarily kicking the bucket. Nope. No, sir._

_Seeing other people die, people you cared about, people you called friends, people you called family, is a lot more scarier._

_And I had to learn it the hard way again._

* * *

"This is not good," I tell Mishana halfway to the mountain top.

"What? I don't sense anything wrong."

"Neither do I," I reply. "And that's completely wrong in and on itself. We shouldn't have been able to get this far without me picking up at least a few of the hidden sentinels. And even if they actually put the best of their ranks to guard duty they should have at least approached and questioned me for bringing a guest along."

"They wouldn't leave the path unguarded," Mishana agrees.

"Unless something bigger took place at the school…"

"You don't think…" Mishana trails off.

"I hope not. We'd better hurry."

"Right."

I'm grateful again for the high altitude training of the past week. My stamina and lung capacity are greatly increased compared to what they used to be. I almost don't feel the effort of running up the trail to the hidden school. My mind is exclusively focused on what I'm going to find up there.

Normally the lack of guards albeit suspicious wouldn't be enough to put me in high alert but the last days events have spiked my paranoia to new degrees.

I hope that everything's all right.  
I hope that whatever's the reason for the lack of guards it's nothing major.  
I hope that once I'm up there they will laugh at me for being such a worrywart .

I hope because I _know_ it's not going to be that simple, and when the smell of burnt wood and dried blood reaches my nostril I cannot even hope anymore.

The gates of the school are open. No. They are completely destroyed. Crashed inwardly under the external pressure. If this is how the entry point looks like the inside….

The beating of my heart accelerates further. My mind goes into a frenzy. I throw all cautions to the wind and launch myself beyond the violated walls, ignoring Mishana calls for safety behind me.

I thought it would be bad. I thought that whatever I'd find behind the lingering smoke would be horrible.

I wasn't even close…

All strength leaves my body as I reach an halt in the middle of the courtyard. What used to be the courtyard.

The place that I thought being the closest to Heaven is no more. It has been ruined, destroyed, depraved.

There's blood everywhere. So much blood that I can't distinguish the original colors anymore. The buildings have been burned to the ground, leaving only charred remains to testify their existence. The smell of burnt wood isn't enough to hide the stench of burnt flesh.

They have died in there.  
Chocking and screaming until their throats became sore with strain and smoke.  
Until their last breath was stolen away by the raging flames.

**IT HURTS! IT HURTS!  
MAKE IT STOP!  
I'M BURNING!  
I DON'T WANT TO DIE!  
**_**Death**_.

My stomach churns and not spilling its content it's all I can do at the moment.

Corpses litter the ground. Their stillness mirrors the statues that used to adorn the gardens.  
Lifeless and broken to pieces. Hands still holding their weapons. Hands no longer attached to any arm.  
They died fighting.

**I'M NOT GOING TO DIE LIKE THIS!  
DIE!  
I WON'T LET YOU KILL HER!  
YOU BASTARDS!  
NO!  
**_**Death.**_

There's blood everywhere. Its smell fills my nostrils.

My feet carry me even further inside the compound seemingly with a will of their own, toward the only building left standing in the entire school.

Throbbing headache. My eye is burning. My heart is aching.

**DESPAIR!  
HOPELESSNESS!  
PAIN!  
**_**Death.**_**  
**

When my feet finally stops what little sanity I ever had finally breaks apart.

It thought I knew horror. I thought that the mindless, brutal killing I've seen so far was the worst mankind could accomplish. How naïve.

Death isn't the horror.  
Death is a Merciful Mistress.  
Death is the ultimate liberation.

But this…

Those who died by the blade had been lucky.  
Those who died by the flames had been lucky.

Scary as it was, painful as it was, their death preserved their honor.  
Trained warriors and killers that made their peace with death a long time ago.

What's now in front of my eyes is not death.  
It's the pinnacle of human depravity.  
The lack of every concept of honor.  
The void of every mercy.

How could anyone do THIS?  
Children. They were just children….

The once pristine shrine has been tainted through the most inhumane method I have ever bore witness.

Thirty kids.  
Both genders.  
Naked.  
Lifeless.  
Limbless.

Pinned to the wall by their own swords in a grotesque imitation of a butterfly collection.

Their tiny bodies showing signs of prolonged torture. The expression of their faces is one of muted horror. They must have screamed in pain until life abandoned them. Death must have been a welcome liberation. The blood dripping from their open wounds has painted the wall red.

They have been soiled.

This absolute image of horror and depravity is somewhat ruined by me falling on my hands and knees, emptying the content of my stomach on the red stained ground. I don't really care about my lack of composure. I almost didn't notice doing it so focused as I am on the scene in front of me.

This has to be it. Nothing in my life could possibly topple this feeling. This crippling sensation of powerlessness, horror and despair.

There can be nothing worse in this world.  
There should be nothing worse in this world.

And perhaps I am right. In this world nothing could surpass this but I….

From the moment I heard _her_ voice, from the moment I answered _her_ call, from the moment I acknowledged _her_ unspoken vow, from the moment I accepted to hold _her_ in my hands I stepped out of the boundaries of this world.

Yes, I have walked beyond a line of no return. A line beyond which lay terrible things. Things that are now taking place in front of me. Inside me.

I can feel it. Their pain. Their anguish. Their hopelessness. Their despair.

It echoes inside me like a soul tearing scream.

My limbs tense. My mind his invaded by a hatred that it's not my own and my vision is clouded by a swirling red fog.

**DESPAIR! DESPAIR! DESPAIR! DESPAIR! **

Fear, pain, despair hopelessness. They are all there on their faces. In their eyes. Staring at me. Blaming me for not being there with them. Blaming me for being alive. Blaming me for allowing such a thing to happen. Blaming me for letting the monster who did this draw even a single more breath. They curse me.

Blood is everywhere. It fills my mind. It clenches my heart. It rips my soul.

**HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE!  
HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE!  
HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE!**

It spills from them to me in ways I can't comprehend nor describe. It pours inside me through my eye, my mouth, my ears and every pore in my body. If hatred could be a tangible thing, If hatred had legs, if hatred had arms, if hatred could walk, If hatred could kill, then I would be hatred.

**HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE!**

An earth shaking roar of a tremendous beast awakening somewhere close. Somewhere inside me, screaming sorrow and hatred with my voice. It's the last thing my mind registers before finally giving in at the blood red pressure that's crushing my soul.

Everything beyond that is blood streaked Blackness.

* * *

Author Notes: Yeah, I know. It's been ages since I've last updated. On my defense I seemingly lost my beta/advisor and I've also taken interest in other Ficdoms. I'll try to divide my time better between fics from now on but no promises. When the Muse strikes she strikes where she wants and us poor mortal blessed (?) with her attention can only comply to her whims.

Now, poetry aside things are getting real ugly for Ron and friends. Yamanouchi is in shamble and there are no survivors left at the old school. Is everybody dead and who survived? Hopefully it won't take another two months to find out.

That's all for the time being. As usual, read and review. Later folks


	68. Interlude: Blood

**Interlude – Blood (published: 05.29.12 – Beta: Riplakish)**

* * *

_Blood__…_

_It is said to be the coin through which the soul can be traded__. O__r__,__at the very least__,__a man I knew used to believe__d __that__. It was an opinion that I shared, as well._

_There's an actual truth behind those words. Blood, since ancient times, has been the symbol of life and death. To spill it would__result in__severe repercussion__s__, as it would__inevitably__stain and mark__whomever it came in contact with._

_Blood carries many things, from nourishment to illness to grudges. It is the vessel of the soul and it brings a great deal of__that__power with it._

_That being said, I never actually expected to witness it for myself._

_Not in this manner._

_I thought I had lost the ability of being surprised a long time ago. I had seen so many wondrous and horrible things that I came to believe that __this world__could no longer shake me._

_How delightfully naïve of me._

_It took Ron's misfortune to__remind__ me exactly how distorted I was and still am. Even though I was horrified by what happened at Yamanouchi, a part of me, the bored one, shivered and craved for more of the __"__sensation.__"_

_When one is starving, after all, even barely edible food tastes like a sweet dessert. And I had been starving for emotions for so long that I had even forgot__ten__that I was hungry in the first place._

_So I wished for more horrifying and disturbing things. I wanted to see__,__again, the depths of human depravity and insanity. Not because I enjoyed it but because I was bored._

_That is the kind of monster I am._

_That was the kind of wish I had._

_And that was exactly what I got._

* * *

"Ron, watch out! Don't rush ahead carelessly."

The smoking ruins and the dead silence were enough to believe that there no longer was any trace of the perpetrators of the attack at the school. Whoever had done this had long since gone. However, there was always a chance that they might have left one or more traps behind and exercising caution was the better course of action, after all.

Ron, of course, didn't care at all about that. He had friends here. Precious people he wanted to help and I had already witnessed, firsthand, how ferociously protective he was.

He dashed past the ruined gates in search for survivors, throwing caution to the wind. I could not afford the same luxury. If there was even a remote possibility of an ambush, at least one of us had to be wary of it.

I followed after him at a much slower pace, not dropping my guard for even a moment.

There was something in the air that made the hair on my neck stand up in alarm. Whatever happened here wasn't as mundane as a battle between two opposing forces. I could still feel the taint of something deeper, darker than anything natural. A presence of evil that should not physically exist in the world.

It was that realization that made me follow after Ron a little faster.

Sadly, it wasn't nearly fast enough, for when I finally caught up with him it was far too late to stop the _change_he was undergoing.

Blood is, like I said, the vessel of the soul, for it carries not only the body's nourishment but also the plights of men. And of plights and blood there was an overabundance in that place. Spilled from tainted innocents who died screaming and cursing the world, seeking a vengeance that their bodies could no longer pursue.

Therefore that hatred needed another vessel. A suitable container of which it could feed and prosper, regardless of the host's well-being.

It is to my great shame that I must admit my own fault. I was entranced by the event to the point of losing those few precious moments that could have made the process reversible. And Ron paid the price of my short lived amusement.

**"_GRAAAAAAH!"_**

It was more the roar of a beast than the scream of a man. Even though I could still recognize Ron's shape, the thing in front of me wasn't the smiling boy I had come to know.

Blood swirled around and over him, covering his body in its entirety. It was a living thing with a will of its own. A will born from hatred that wanted and sought and brought ruination and despair.

Starting with its very own host.

It was the inhumane roar that snapped me out of my trance and engaged my sanity once more. Instinct kicked in and a binding spell was already on my lips. I couldn't afford the entire chant so I called forth the magic by its name alone—at a greater expense of energy but, in this case, I could afford it.

**"Bakudō**(Way of Binding)** 99: KIN!"**

From thin air silk like ropes materialized and wrapped around him, forcing his hands backward before forked nails stabbed them to the ground. It was one of the strongest restrictive spells at my disposal and, even without the chant, it should have been more than enough to hold back both physical and spiritual beings without too much effort.

**"_GRRAAAAAAARRRRGHHH!"_**

And it was completely useless instead.

It didn't restrain "it" from more than a few seconds. Not nearly enough to even begin an exorcism. The resistance of the spell should have meant that Ron's arms would be ripped from his torso before the binding cloth gave in.

Claw like appendage tore through it like it was actual silk. Ron's hands had changed to reflect the ferocity of the invading malice and the transformation was spreading to the rest of his body. A menacingly looking tail grew out of his back, swinging back and forth and shredding what little was left of the binding spell.

Feet became clawed much like the hands and, on the side of the head, two razor-sharp horns grew. Nothing recognizable was left of Ron. The traits of his face were lost under the new armor of blood. Its mouth was a nest of razors and his eyes, were two red flames of maliciousness.

"Ron…," I called to him in a whisper, full knowing that my voice could no longer reach him.

_**"_!"**_

The roar had reached magnitude where it was no longer audible. Only the shockwave could be felt and it was nearly enough to send me flying backward.

There was no reversing the transformation. Not without Ron's inner energy working from the inside while I purified from the outside. If his defenses had not been restrained by my seals, he would not have been possessed in the first place—but how could I have imagined that we would have encountered something like this?

Regardless, there was no other choice but to fight it. It would not hesitate to rip me to shreds and devour me, but I had no intention of being swallowed by a mass of boiling hatred.

Not again.

I could only hope that by clashing against it, I could find some sort of weakness to exploit. If not, I could at the very least put Ron out of his misery. It was my responsibility and duty as a friend and as a healer.

"I'm sorry, Ronald."

Those were the last words I had the opportunity to say that weren't part of a spell. The beast itself took them as the cue to finally charge at me with blinding speed. I managed to avoid its claws only because I had already proceeded to accelerate my body.

It was going to be a difficult battle and, in all likelihood, only one of us would walk away. I wouldn't have minded if it wasn't me so long as I could return Ron to his former self.

If it was even possible going back after coming in contact with something like that. A mass of scorching hatred like that would have broken any sane man.

… Right. Maybe there actually was still a chance for him.

He could still be saved but not by me.

I couldn't save anyone.

I lost that right long before and now the only thing I can do is cursing everything around me with an ill-begotten fate. Not even the rules of equivalent exchange could help me. My life wasn't something I could trade for the sake of another as it wasn't actually mine to begin with.

No. The only way I could make a difference was by reuniting him and _her._

Of course there was huge gap between knowing something and putting it into practice.

The speed of the beast was so that I couldn't easily turn around and explore the ruins of the school at my leisure. The entirety of my focus was dedicated in dodging and deflecting the blows coming from Ron. If one of those claws did so much as scrape me, it would turn me to shreds.

I sent two chant-less **Shakkahō** (Fireballs)in its direction and it didn't even dignify to dodge them. They splashed again the blood surface with a sizzle. I suppose that if there wasn't already too much blood and smoke I could have smelled the foul stench of scorched blood.

Furthermore I had more important things to think about. Like those red razors coming at my face. Battle-honed reflexes saved my visage from a permanent scarring as I promptly rolled on the ground and away from the beast.

Its momentum carried him a little farther away, giving me precious few moments of reprieve. I had to make use of them wisely.

Expanding my senses to encompass the entire school grounds in a bastardized version of a scry. The atmosphere was still saturated with malice and if I was looking for something else I certainly couldn't have found it.

Luckily, the thing I was looking for was no common trinket and its presence burned in my _eyes_ like a torch.

I nearly vomited right there and then.

There was no comparison. The malice born from hatred and despair didn't hold a candle to that _thing._

In the first place the word _malevolence_ couldn't begin to describe it. Why was it like that? How could something bonded to someone as cheerful as Ronald be so utterly revolting?

It was like… like… NO! It didn't matter. Even if I had to make a deal with the very forces of Hell I would have saved Ron. My soul was already damned anyway.

I refocused on my immediate surroundings just in time to notice Ron coming at me again. I had to dodge and distract him long enough to make a run for it.

I sent three different binding spells in his direction and he tore through them like paper. That wouldn't do. It was like he was completely immune to magic… Of course, what an idiot. Blood carries magic power. Poverty-stricken Magi sold their own blood as a reagent from time because it was highly-charged with it.

With his body covered like that Ron was effectively wearing a magic-nullifying armor. There was no way I could hurt or even slow him down through direct application of magic. Too bad that, despite my experience, I never bothered to become a melee fighter. I just possessed so much magic power that I never really thought I would need such skills. What an imbecile. If I lived through this, self-defense classes were going to be on top of my priority list.

Of course death wasn't really an option for me. I could afford being ripped apart so long as I wasn't devoured. That would have been… bothersome.

That knowledge gave me the idea I could use to get _there_. All I needed was to set up things properly and Ron himself would have made it possible.

Carefully examining the way he moved, I laid down my plan. He favored his right arm while the left was almost limp: corrupting a mechanical limb was not as simple as with an organic body. Without the appropriate feedback from it, the entity possessing Ron couldn't use it to the best of its ability. Ron, himself, had to go through some practice to use it properly. A mindless beast could do very little but swing it around like a club.

It was the only hole in his offense I could find and I had every intention using it to my advantage.

I pride myself with being capable of surprising a being made out of pure hatred because, when I charged at it, instead of keeping my distance as I did until that moment, I clearly saw its eyes widen in surprise. It was even more surprised when my reinforced fists slammed against its torso, making it stagger back a little.

Good. While I had no skill to speak of I could still make my body stronger and, as a consequence, my strikes, too.

The beast's surprise didn't last long as it roared once more and charged back with renewed rage.

It didn't matter. The plan was in motion: it was moving within the scope of my predictions. I ducked under his right arm—that would have cut my head away if it connected—and prepared myself for the impact with his left.

It came without half the coordination of the right arm and I managed to put myself in the space between the wrist and the shoulder. I pushed all of my reinforcement in my right side and braced for the impact.

I wasn't disappointed. My right arm shattered under the impact and my body was flung away according to the direction of the swing.

Which is to say, straight toward the Lotus Blade shrine.

I think I managed to smile in satisfaction, despite the broken arm and the ribs that cracked when my body slammed on the wooden floor inside the building.

I preferred to wait before actually gloating as this was the easiest part of my plan. I had now to face a much more terrible entity than the one possessing Ronald. As proof of my concerns, I was surrounded by what was left of the bodies of those fools that tried to claim the mystical blade for themselves.

Almost the entire room was littered with human entrails. It was such a gory spectacle that it made the slaughter outside nearly tame in comparison.

In the middle of the room the nefarious tool floated surrounded by an angry red aura that promised a painful, if extremely fast, death for anyone fool enough to dare lay an hand on her.

And I was the next candidate in line to redecorate the walls with my organs. Regardless, that was the only feasible course of action left and I couldn't afford to second guess my choice. Not when I could already hear Ron footsteps coming my way.

Ignoring the pain I stood reached for the sword. She growled angrily the more I got closer but I wasn't going to be intimidate by her.

With a last step I finally reached her and grabbed the hilt.

* * *

I blinked. I wasn't inside the shrine any longer. I was now in a room much similar to it, but the lack of bodies told me that it was an entire different place.

"My, my," a voice behind me purred, "this is one unexpected visit."

I turned and she was standing there, as beautiful as she was terrible. I could tell just by looking that the woman scantily clad in a red kimono wasn't human by any stretch of the imagination. Her demeanor, her presence and her eyes were the telltale of a much higher existence.

"In different circumstances I would welcome such an interesting person in my home," she smiled sweetly, "but for the crime of keeping me apart from him I will simply throw your soul to the worms."

"Before you do that," I said ignoring the shivering in my soul, "you would do better to listen to what I have to say."

"Oh? You are more interesting than I thought. To believe you know better than I do," she said before dropping all pretenses of amiability. "Foolish little woman. There is nothing you can say that I don't already know. Your existence might have transcended most humans, but it's still nothing compared to mine. Here, in my realm, there is nothing you can hide from me. I can see your soul and all of your sins."

Not even a minute and I already disliked her more than I thought I ever could.

"Then you should also know that keeping Ron apart from you was for his own well-being. Or would you have preferred if I had let him die like a dog because of your pretentious wishes?"

There was a thick moment of silence before she burst out laughing.

"Fu fu fu fu. How foolishly arrogant. How delightfully bold. I would really enjoy torturing you for the rest of eternity."

"But you will not. If you take my life now you will also lose him. I am the only person capable of returning him to you so pick your choice. My soul to torture for all eternity or him for the rest of his life? Which one will it be, _Crimson_ _Mistress of the Mirror Moon_?"

"Fu fu fu. If I didn't want to hurt you so badly you would have made a fine playmate. Very well, I shall acknowledge your wits and disregard your crimes. This time," she added."I will allow you to wield my vessel and return me to him, but be warned: If we are to meet again in the future you will not be so lucky, _Babylon Witch_. You would do better not to seek me out again."

"Your concern is touching," I said sarcastically

"Well? What are you still doing here? You have a job to do. Off you go."

* * *

In a moment I was back in the blood stained shrine. My hand around the hilt was still intact as was the rest of my body. No more than a second seemed to have passed from when I touched the blades. Time perception varies when two minds are connected together.

Pushing the metaphysical consideration aside I run out of the building holding the weapon in my left hand. Being ambidextrous meant that my skill with a sword wouldn't be compromised by my wounds, but frankly speaking I didn't have much skills to begin with.

I managed to get out a mere moment before Ron reached the door. If I had to face him inside the enclosed space I wouldn't have had any chance while, in the open courtyard, I had room to maneuver as much as I needed.

Not that there was much I could actually do.

Ron wouldn't recognize the blade and, even if he did, merely holding her wouldn't serve any purpose. Not with the blood armor as a buffer between his body and her. The only thing I could possibly do was to break through it by using the blade itself.

I leaped backward and gained some distance from him. I wanted him to be in a straight line with no obstacles between us.

He charged again, just like the mindless beast he was. It was what I wanted and I charged him in return with the sword pointed toward him. I had to aim precisely or it would turn into a fatal blow.

The distance shortened very quickly and I realized, too late, that the beast wasn't as mindless as I thought it was.

It could learn.

I had showed my real speed once already and it carefully timed his swing. With my arms dedicated to hold the sword there was no way I could muster any form of defense.

There was also no need for it.

I felt the claws dig into my stomach like a hot knife through butter. I felt my organs being ripped apart and thrown out of my body. I felt my own blood rushing in my throat and out of my mouth.

I felt all that and I smiled.

Because I hadn't faltered. Because my aim had been true. Because the Lotus Blade was now sticking out of Ron's right shoulder and shining like a beacon of hope.

I had made it.

My maimed body stumbled backward, unable to hold itself upright any longer.

The last thing I saw with my fading vision was a blood-free Ron slumping unconscious on the ground.

I smiled and the world went black.

* * *

AN:

Sooo…. I must admit that for a time the KP-verse had lost some interest to me. I initially chose this particular fandom because it had very little confines and rules to deal with and I thought it was a good playground for a writer-wannabe.

I was right, but things changed. I now find more engaging working on fics that forces me to integrate my story with the mechanics of their universe.

That being said, I have no intention to drop this story nor any other story I'm working on. It might be slow but updates will come. I have a new beta (Riplakish) that is helping me with the new chapter and with rewriting the old as well.

I already have the next chapter half written so it should be out in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for being patient with me so far.


	69. First Heart: Snow Princess

**First Heart: Snow Princess  
(published: 11.19.12 - beta: None )**

* * *

_The one lesson that life taught that I will never forget is: things can always get worse. _

_I thought I had hit the bottom of the barrel when I woke up in a hospital minus an arm and an eye. It didn't last half a day that Betty Director destroyed that misconception with few short sentences._

_Fine, dealing with the downfall of my sudden popularity was a pain, but one I could live with. There was a lot of work ahead for me to do, but for once in my life the thought didn't scare me. A little settling in with a crazed mutant woman after a long heart to heart discussion with my best friend since pre-k and thing were back on track once more._

_Then I went to Yamanouchi and things started going pear shaped again. First, Yori gave me the cold shoulder for reasons I didn't quite understand, then the other students decide to kick my ass because I'm an outside and finally my body decided that blowing up was a fine idea. Only the timely intervention of my teacher saved my skinny white butt._

_But of course that wasn't enough for lil ol' me, was it? Once my body was stabilized I had to be dragged into a butchered murder attempt at the expenses of my doctor, recently turned friend._

_Fine, fine. No big, dealing with crazy people is something I was already used to so it wasn't much of a stretch from my usual routine. Let's give the damsel in distress a hand where is needed and then let's go back to where I came from. _

_That was supposed to be the easy part._

_For anybody else, it probably would have been. For me it meant finding the place I considered a second home burned to ashes and people I called friends killed in horrifying ways. _

_That was it. That was the bottom of the pit. Nothing else could top that. Anyone would think that at that point, wouldn't they?_

_They'd think so, but they'd be wrong._

_There is always, __**ALWAYS**__ worse._

* * *

I don't know exactly how long the descent lasted. Time has a funny way to stretch indefinitely when you're in a world of pain.

The only thing I know is that at one point I was falling through pitch black darkness while my entire existence was being torn apart by curses and evils that weren't' mine but that were pushed onto me anyway.

I was disappearing. Eaten from the inside out by a malice that was born from mankind but had long since transcended its maker. I would have been destroyed from within if suddenly somebody reached out to me and pulled me out through a red blinding light and I woke up.

No, that is not correct. I wasn't dreaming before, no matter how nightmarish my situation was. I was dying. I was being devoured. I was being violated and defiled and then it stopped.

I was dreaming now. That was much certain, but that didn't mean it wasn't real as well.

An eerie red moon shone over me, filling the starless sky with its magnificence. It wasn't natural, no way in hell that such an vision could be normal either. But it was right. To me it was perfect. And it was familiar too. It filled me with a sense of belonging that I never knew before that time.

However, the focus of my attention wasn't the all-encompassing orb but rather the equally red eyes of the woman that was cradling my head in her laps, staring at me as she hummed a song that I couldn't understand.

_'Who are you?'_ I asked without words.

No, that wasn't the right question. I knew who she was. I always did but I just couldn't recall where or when I had met her.

_'What is your name?'_

And she told me. Without words she spoke her name and I heard it without a sound. As I fell asleep within the dream, I wondered exactly how I knew it even before she told me.

* * *

Ouch.

That's what I thought when I opened my eyes again and I was overwhelmed by a feeling of déjà-vu. Why is that every time I woke up after a traumatic event I always felt like I went through a meat grinder. I seriously need to start questioning my lifestyle, or at least have a few words with whomever is in charge of my Karma.

Ignoring the pain as best as I could I took a breath and forced myself to look at my surrounding.

I was lying in a bed with my real arm attached to an IV. I didn't know where I was but the room was scarcely furnished. There was a small desk with a chair, a wardrobe and a night table near my bed.

I could have mistaken it for an hospital but it lacked the peculiar smell of disinfectant and other medicinal. It also lacked any window and for a moment I thought that perhaps I had been taken prisoner by whomever was behind the slaughter at Yamanouchi.

Ugh. I had to choke down the need to vomit again as well as the sting of tears behind my eyes. That wasn't the time to be overwhelmed by what happened. I needed to figure out where I was and where was Mishana.

The last thing I remember was passing out in front of the temple and nothing more. No, If I really tried I could recall something beyond that. Flashes and glimpses of something but my head hurt badly when I tried to recall and my mouth was filled with taste of blood.

… Nevermind. I shook my head and stood up on unsteady legs. Shit. How long had I been in bed? I stumbled to the desk for support and it took me a few minutes to steady myself.

When I was about to try again the door to that room opened. I had no time to put my guard up to face the newcomer and thankfully there was no need. That person was unmistakable to me, even if it felt like a lifetime since I last saw her.

Yori.

Our eyes met and surprise flashed across her face. The small water basin and the towels in her hands clattered on the floor and I had no chance to react to the sudden movement.

"Stoppable-san!"

Her arms wrapped against my torso and her momentum pushed both of us against the wall. It was only because her weight pinned me against it that I didn't fell flat on my ass.

"Stoppable-san! Stoppable-san!"

Every repetition of my name was chocked out. The damp feeling on my chest told me that the kunoichi in my arms was crying her eyes out.

"Yori," I whispered, running my hand against her back in a comforting manner. Suddenly my vision went blurry and my face felt wet as well.

Tears. I was crying as well. Only in that moment I realized just how terrified I was that Yori could have been dead or worse. But she wasn't. Yori was alive and apparently well.

The sense of relief was so overwhelming that my arms wrapped around her and I joined her in cry.

"Yori," I choked out. "Yori." I had little strength in my body but all of it was dedicated in squeezing the girl in my arms, seeking confirmation that she was real and not just a delusion of my twisted mind.

I don't know how long we remained there. In a very selfish way I pushed aside the questions about the well-being of my other friend aside and simply reveled in the warmth and overwhelming comfort provided by the presence of the kunoichi.

It wasn't very long but at one moment Yori was crying in my chest and then she suddenly stopped. She looked up at me and our eyes met.

"Ah," she squeaked out as her eyes widened and her burned in what I suppose was embarrassment. Faster that I could follow she jumped backward, putting a good couple of meters between us. And here I thought I was fast at running away.

"I'm sorry, Stoppable-san," she bowed in apology. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay," I replied wiping my tears. Be a man and don't cry Stoppable. "I'm glad you're okay Yori. I was worried… for… you…"

It was all I managed to say before the world spun and darkness claimed me again.

* * *

The next time I woke up it was better than the previous. I wasn't feeling as nauseous and Yori was sitting on a chair beside my bed, looking at me with worry in her eyes. I tried to pull myself to a sitting position at least, but Yori small hands pushed me back.

"Stoppable-san, you must rest," she insisted. "You are not in condition to stand. Your body is still healing."

Healing? When was I wounded exactly?

"Yori, what happened? Where are we?"

"This is one of the many safe houses we have around Japan. I… am not sure what happened to you. The only thing I know is that one of our teams found you and a woman at," she took a deep breath," at the ruins of Yamanouchi. They brought you here three days ago."

"Mishana is here? How is she?"

"We… are not sure of her condition. She was passed out by your side and she was wounded badly."

"Wounded how? I don't remember her being hurt or anything."

"I do not know. I arrived here only yesterday and by what I have been told she had not regained consciousness the entire time. The one thing that I can tell for sure is that her life is not in danger. From what I have been told the extent of her wound would have killed anybody but she healed at an impressive rate."

"Yeah. Yeah that's Mishana for you. Damn. I just can't remember… Nevermind that. Yori what happened at the school? Who else survived?"

Yori face darkened and her eyes narrowed. The look in her face was the familiar frown of hatred that I came to know so well myself.

"Setsuninto," she answered as if spitting a curse."The killing blade. An enemy of Yamanouchi since ancient times. We believed them extinct or at the very least scattered. We were mistaken."

"What…?"

"Our history with them is far too long to be retold in one sitting, Stoppable-san. Suffice to know that they used to be people who lived for the sake of furthering their skills with the sword by killing every enemy Their creed is 'kill at all costs'. Their belief is that the lives they take makes their swords and skills sharper."

"Is that why…? Is that why they slaughtered a school full of children?"

"Yes. There was a time when they would have never raised their swords against a bystander but things have obviously changed. They used to have honor."

"What changed?"

"With the coming of the Meiji era Japan finally exited its long isolation. It was a time of turmoil for this country. Foreign cultures clashed against our long standing traditions and not everyone welcomed the change. Many battles were fought between the progressive and the conservative sides.

"Let me guess," I grumbled, "the Setsuninto were at the head of the conservative side."

"No," Yori shook her head. "The Setsuninto were at the head of both sides."

"What?"

"I told you. They craved the conflict and they had no qualms to pit themselves against each other. In fact that was their ultimate goal. Fighting was their reasons to exists, their purpose. And they purposely stirred even conflict so that they could revel in never-ending battles. That is until one day the Emperor put his foot down and ordered them to stop. They didn't listen and after several unheeded warnings Yamanouchi was sent to dispose of them."

"Oh boy."

"Indeed. Yamanouchi carried out the order and assassinated the leaders of the movement, destroying the clan and scattering the survivors. The few disciples that were not targeted continued their quest by joining other groups, but singularly they didn't matter much. By the time the conflict ended no one should have lived and even if they did their philosophy was destroyed."

"Guess it didn't work out as expected, uh? But I don't understand why coming after Yamanouchi now. I mean, yeah, Yamanouchi more or less kicked their asses a century and a half ago but would they really hold a grudge over things that happened so long ago?"

"I do not know. Even if there may be other reasons behind their recent offensive, simply wanting to restore their clan would require the elimination of those who caused their downfall."

"How did they manage to get to the school? There was no trace of battle on the path to the mountain."

"There is a chance we have been betrayed from within but it is impossible to tell as of now. When it was clear that the school was lost we scattered and went dark. Many of us are still missing and unaccounted for. "

"What about Sensei?"

"The last time I saw him he was battling against the leader of the Setsuninto on the cliff overlooking the school. They were evenly matched in spite of Sensei being barehanded but I could not keep observing them. I was in charge of evacuating the children."

"The… children?"

"Yes," she said sorrowfully, her eyes filling with tears once more. "I managed to evacuate more than half of them but the others…"

"Yori…"

"They tortured them, Stoppable-san," she cried, tears falling freely from her eyes. "They made them scream to force us to come back and fight. Many of us died trying to free them with no avail. I wanted to go back myself. They were… calling for me. Yori-Onee-sama they cried," her hand tightened in her lap. Her tears fell, staining her clothes. "They cried my name and I could do nothing, because if I did I would have died and no one would have taken care of the other children. I watched them cry and scream and die without doing a thing."

She was too taken in her own grief and guilt to stop me from sitting up. Too lost in her haunting memories to oppose any resistance to my arms. I pulled her into my lap and cradled her against me while she cried her heart out once more.

I thought I had it bad so far, but my grief was small thing compared to Yori's. The people at Yamanouchi were like family to me. To Yori they were her actual family. She had grown up with them. She had studied and fought alongside them. She guided and in turn she was guided by them. The magnitude of her loss couldn't be compared to mine.

So I didn't cry. I had no right to. But I had the duty of holding her and be strong in her place. Time passed, this time in the hours. Yori cried until she fell asleep in my arms. I made no effort to wake her up. The dark circle around her eyes were the telltales of sleepless night.

Much like with Kimberly, if my embrace could keep her nightmares at bay I had no qualms with holding her through the entire night.

At one point another Shinobi from Yamanouchi came into my room, certainly looking for sleeping kunoichi. He stood at the door and watched us. He said nothing but he narrowed his eyes at me. I responded in kind and tightened my grip around the girl asleep in my arms. His gaze drifted to her and then back to me. We locked in a silent match of staring but after a moment he gave a short, stiff nod and left, closing the door behind him without a sound.

Huh. Looks like I managed to gain the approval of at least one person in what remained of Yamanouchi. Baby steps went for the distance, as usual.

* * *

I woke up when I felt her stirring against me. I opened my eye and I found myself staring at Yori's confused gaze. It took her a moment for the gears inside her head to turn and put together the situation we were in.

"Ah," she yelped, her face coloring once more in embarrassment. "Stoppable-san I'm sorry I…"

I cut her off by tightening my grip around her arms.

"It's fine," I told her with certainty. "Don't worry about it."

There was nothing to be embarrassed about. I had been truly introduced to Japanese culture a few days before but I already knew how they regarded physical contact, especially with the opposite gender. Yori had probably a stricter upbringing compared to other girls from her country but I wasn't about to let her be embarrassed by what happened between us.

It wasn't a matter to be embarrassed about to begin with. It wasn't a improper closeness between a man and a woman. It was a matter of comradeship and I wasn't about to let her be ashamed about having relied on me in a moment of need.

She stared at me, long and hard. The redness disappeared from her face and she finally gave a shy if appreciative nod. I let her go and she stood up straightening her clothes. I followed her. My body had seemingly shaken off the previous weakness and I was feeling good enough to stand up.

"How are you feeling, Stoppable-san?"

"Meh, I have been better but I've been much worse. Don't worry, I can walk just fine. More importantly, what are we going to do now?"

"We are still trying to gather the survivors. The standard procedure in this cases is to isolate every unit and proceed to investigate the matter separately."

"Isn't that counterproductive?"

"Normally it would but as ninjas we are trained to operate mostly alone or in small groups. Furthermore if there actually is a traitor in our ranks this prevents all units to be compromised."

"I take that every safe house is known only to each team then."

"With the exception of Sensei that is exactly so. We are trained to act independently and even if this attack was unpredicted it didn't take us completely unprepared. Yamanouchi has withstood many assaults over the centuries. This probably isn't the worst we have been trough in our history."

Somehow I didn't want to picture what could have been worse than what led up to this point, but I supposed that Yori knew what she was talking about.

"Hm," I agreed, trusting her judgment in that matter. Without other words she led me through the corridors of the safe house. The place was amazingly large and judging by the lack of any window probably underground. She took me to another room and when she opened the door my heat cringed.

Mishana was laying on a bed surrounded my medical apparatus that monitored her condition. She was pale but she was breathing steadily, much to my relief.

"Mishana," I rushed to her side. "What's wrong with her Yori?"

"She's in a coma," she replied. "Her condition is improving but when cannot say when she will wake up."

"Damn it. At least she's going to be okay, right?"

"Most likely. Her condition is improving without much intervention on our part. It is my opinion that whatever ability granted her advanced regeneration has put her in a forced coma to minimize her pain. That aside, I would like to know why this person was with you, Stoppable-san. Bringing strangers at the school is not something that is normally done."

"It's a long story, actually. She's a friend of Sensei from what I managed to gather and she was in a tight spot. Besides, she saved my life. I couldn't just leave her to her fate," I frowned, "then again I probably have dragged her in an even worse situation."

"Don't blame yourself, Stoppable-san," she said putting an hand on my shoulder, "there is no way you could have known about this incident."

"Yeah," I agreed, "I know but it still sucks."

The discussion was halted when another Shinobi came into the room.

"Tanaka-san," he said addressing Yori, "the White Princess arrived."

"The… White Princess?" I asked, curious about the odd name. I followed Yori out of the room after stealing a glance at Mishana unconscious form.

"Yes," Yori confirmed as she led me through the corridors once more. "She's the current head of a clan that has been aligned with us almost since the foundation of Yamanouchi. They are perhaps the strongest sword-wielding clan on par with the Setsuninto."

"Sword… wielding clan?" I mulled those words in my mouth. There was something oddly familiar with that description. Japan sure was a big country with an extremely long history compared to the States. I shouldn't have been surprised that there was more than one group that dabbled with the sword.

However, considering how things had gone up to that point I shouldn't have shrugged the coincidence. When Yori opened the door to what was a decently big meeting room my eye widened. And so did the eyes of the white haired woman in a school uniform and a katana strapped at her side.

"You!" we both growled when our gazes met.

"Stoppable-san, do you know each–eep!"

Yori question was cut when I jumped from behind her toward the target of my hatred. The sight of the white haired girl who almost got Mishana killed reached deep down into me, bypassing all logics. I wanted her dead. I wanted to rip her apart and mount her head on a pike. I wanted to violate her corpse and shred her dignity….

I realized right there and then that those thoughts weren't exactly mine but it was a moment too late. My vision went red, literally. My mouth filled with the taste of blood and I wanted nothing else but to sink my teeth in the her neck and rip her heart of her chest with my bare hands.

Her hand went for her blade but in her half seated position my foot connected before she had a chance to draw it. To her credit she managed to put her forearm in the between my foot and her stomach, but the strength of my blow still managed to send her flying.

She landed gracefully a couple of meters away, her hand once more reaching for her sword. I wouldn't have nothing of that. I was in her face before an inch of her sword made it out of the scabbard. The close proximity forced her to defend herself barehanded.

I assaulted her with the fury of a rabid beast, which was exactly what I happened to be at that moment. I wasn't thinking clearly, or at all. I was driven by a primordial hatred that was too alien for me to explain or even just understand. It was all consuming and all encompassing. There was no opposing and no denying it.

I was only mildly aware of the chaos around me. My numbed consciousness only managed to register the people from Yamanouchi trying to hold back the bitch's bodyguards without a full out conflict. I could hear the faint voice of Yori calling out to me, begging me to stop.

Oddly enough, the minor distraction allowed the white haired girl to draw her sword. A pure white blade came out of the scabbard with an hiss of steel. The world around her froze. Literally.

The _thing_ that drove me halted. Its beastly instinct screaming in danger. It didn't care for my life nor it did its own existence. However it wasn't stupid. The woman was now not just _prey_ but a threat. It had to be dealt accordingly.

**"Turn the world white, Yukihime (Snow Princess)!"**

She announced the true name of her blade for everyone to hear. In response to her summon the temperature of the room dropped several degrees. Ice begun forming around the girl, affecting her surrounding but not her.

The beast faltered and my consciousness slipped to the surface. I was again in control, if just barely. However that didn't mean the situation was any better. Regardless of the foreign hatred bubbling inside me I personally wanted the white haired bitch. I promised her that I would take her life for hurting my friend and I was a man of his word.

My hand stretched out, seeking for the one thing I knew would match the threat of the sword in her hand.

**"Rule over the Heavens, Tsukuyomi! (Mistress of the Mirror Moon)."**

I didn't know where she had been held until now but from the moment I woke up I could feel her voice within me. She answered to my summon in her usual fashion. The room went dark, lights swallowed by the intense red mist that swirled around us throwing chairs and in the air and making the meeting table shake under the pressure.

The contact with my hand was soothing and her presence cleared my mind from the intruding malevolence that had ruled me almost up to that moment. Yes, my mind was freed but it changed nothing. The bitch was about to down.

"Stoppable-san," Yori cried. This time her voice distinctly reached me. "Please stop this madness."

"No way," I growled. "I promised I would make her pay for what she has done the last time we met. I'm so going to keep my promise here and now!"

"Very well, Stoppable-san," the other girl said spitefully. "If a premature death is what you want I shall endeavor to fulfill your wish immediately."

"JUST WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR!" I roared and charged at her. Instead of blocking my sword she rolled into my blind spot. I didn't need to see her to know she was about to strike. I jumped in the opposite direction, feeling the chill of her blade missing my face by mere inches.

Even though her blow missed, half my face went numb as well as a good portion of my neck. Breathing had suddenly become very difficult and with the ground rapidly freezing even just standing required more focus than usual. She looked completely unhindered by the change in battleground. The power of her sword didn't affect her at all and even the floor beneath her was lacking the thin white frozen layer.

She came at me almost faster than I could react and in spite of my desire to kill her I was forced to dodge. Her sword was able to affect the environment just by being unsheathed. There was no telling what it would do upon contact. As far as I knew it'd turn me into an icicle on the spot.

But running and winning are usually on the opposite side of the spectrum. Trust me, I'd know. Beside turning my back on her and just leave wouldn't have made me look quite the fool after my earlier proclamation.

Therefore when I stood back up from my roll I lifted the blade and held my ground.

/Come at me bitch!/ the Jester shouted, both in my mind and aloud.

"Die!" she screamed as she swung her blade, ignoring the fact that I had my guard ready. As I suspected her powers would probably effect me even if I blocked.

"Stoppable-san!" Yori cried, predicting the same outcome as I did.

**CLANG!**

Our blades clashed and my world was enveloped in white.

* * *

_"Otou-sama," a little girl cried, her white haired head was cradled between her knees. "Otou-sama, why am I different from everybody else?"_

_"You have been blessed by the snow, my princess," the deep baritone voice answered as the man's hand reached to stroke her head. "There is no need for you to be ashamed of yourself."_

_"They said that I am cursed. They said that Oka-sama died because of me."_

_"They don't understand you," he replied soothingly. "And they fear what they don't understand."_

_The scene shifted and the little girl wasn't so little anymore. She looked like she was around twelve years old._

_"Did you hear?" a boy in his late teen whispered to another as they walked not too far behind from her. "She has already achieved the final stage of her Reiken."_

_"At her age? It is said it requires a lifetime to even just hope of finding the potential."_

_"She's a monster."_

_"What a freak."_

_The scene changed once more. Her father smiled at her and ruffled her hair. _

_"I'm so proud of you my child."_

_"I tried my hardest, Otou-sama, but still…"_

_"They still fail to accept you."_

_"Yes," she replied sadly. "Father is there something wrong with me?"_

_"Fear not, my princess. One day you will certainly find someone who will accept you wholeheartedly. Keep looking and never give up."_

_"I don't need that," she smiled hugging her father. "I have my Otou-sama."_

_"That you do, Hime-sama," the man chuckled returning the embrace. "That you do."_

_Another shift in scenery and the girl was in a crowd of swordsmen. They were all older than her and looked far more intimidating than she was. Yet there was a wide space between her and the next closest person. They all regarded her with a mixture of respect and fear. No one dared to approach her. In return, her face betrayed no emotion and she closed the rest of the world outside._

_The scene shifted again. This time she stood in front of her father barely breathing body. _

_"I'll find her Otou-sama," she pledged and a tear fell on the manly hand firmly held between hers. " I'll find the witch that did this to you and deliver justice with my own sword. I swear."_

_Wiping the tear she stood straight and left the room. She scolded her feature in an emotionless mask. Beyond the door a group of man waited with their swords strapped at their sides. They were strong looking but the expression in their eyes as they regarded the snow haired woman was one of utter fear._

_She walked away and they followed silently. No one dared to defy the monster in shape of a woman that had taken charge of their clan. She was a demon. An Yuki-Onna. If they opposed her rule they would die in a drowning in an ocean of white._

_They knew nothing of her. She was different and they feared for that. She didn't care about them at all. So long as they followed her she had no qualms in being the demon they thought she was. Even if it meant burying her heart deep under the snow._

* * *

The light faded. The girl with white hair, Yukiko as I recalled, was now again in front of me. Surprisingly I was still alive and on top of that I didn't even feel the cold any more. Her expression was a mirror of my own. Surprise and disbelief defined her features. She wasn't however shocked by my unlikely survival but rather it was locked on the swords between us. I followed her gaze and then I understood.

Interlocked twin white swords separated us. The Lotus Blade plain if secretly powerful form had shifted to match its opponent. It wasn't just a matter of appearance. The reason why I was no longer affected by the power of Yukihime was that I was now shielded by the same protection. Because I was now wielding the same sword.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. A thousand times stupid. That was the real power of the Lotus Blade. Not some mere shape shifting but perfect replication ability. The ultimate mimicry of everything bladed.

"How dare you?" Yukiko hissed. Her shoulders trembled and the vibration echoed from her blade to mine. She wasn't still looking at me. Her gaze was pointed downward, her white bangs shielding her eyes from my sight. When they snapped up to glare at me I was shocked to see such fiery fire burning under her ice. "How dare you steal my sword?"

She pushed me back and I staggered. She was surprisingly strong for a girl that thin. Then again I should have been used to women being stronger than they looked by then.

I spun on my foot and brought my version of Yukihime in the path of her next blow.

"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A FAKER!" she raged. Again and again the blades clashed together with the sound of steel and cracked ice. As our confrontation progressed the room froze all the more. The other people were force to leave least they turned into ice statues.

She was undoubtedly strong and skilled. It was only her rage that offset her otherwise smooth technique enough to allow me to math her on even ground. As we were out duel would end only with the death of one of us.

What was the problem with that you ask? Well, after looking into her history like I did I wasn't quite so willing of killing her anymore. I still didn't like her and I still hated her guts for what she did to Mishana. However, I couldn't quite summon my previous rage against her. That being said, I had obviously no intention of dying either and there wasn't a chance she would give up now that I riled her up so much. You reap what you sow after all.

In the end the solution to our conundrum came from a third party. The last person I expected to interfere, if had to be honest.

Before any of us could react someone entered our guard from the side. A hand wrapped around my throat as it did with hers and squeezed.

"Gha!" we both grunted when the sudden jolt of pain went through our bodies, forcing us both to our knees and to drop our swords. The coldness receded so fast that it almost seemed to have never happened.

"Such unruly children" a familiar elderly voice sighed. In spite of the pain in my body I looked up and smiled. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing but damn it, it was a sight for sore eyes.

"Sensei," I managed to choke out. Happiness and relief seeping into my voice in spite of the strain of speaking.

The elder teacher gave me a grandfatherly smile, but still held my neck with an iron grip. Maybe, just maybe, things would start making sense from now on.

* * *

XXX

* * *

A/N:

I can't believe it's been almost six months since I last updated this story. I'm sorry for the long wait and while I can't promise anything about the update rate I'm trying to return to the KPverse. I got caught in my other fics and since I've been quite inspired with those I had an hard time getting back in the swing of things with Identities.

In any case have no fear. This story is definitely not abandoned.

Thanks for reading everyone!


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